Gundam SEED: A Retelling
by Akatsuki Leader13
Summary: A new, improved version of my original classic story. AU What if there had been seven mobile suits at Heliopolis and Kira wasn't the only mobile suit pilot on the Archangel. KxL AxC OCxF.
1. Phase 1: False Peace

Yo all my Gundam SEED fans! I'M BACK!

Why? Well despite not having updated in years my Gundam stories were still generating hits, favorites, alerts and reviews to a surprising degree. In recent weeks I began to feel obliged to update Destiny yet I found I just couldn't get it going. So I decided to go back and read my SEED story as well as rewatching SEED and Destiny. I found myself realizing that there were things I just didn't like about how I originally did SEED and that I really wanted to change. Mostly minor things such as scenes that I felt could have been written better as well as the typical spelling and grammar stuff. But there was one thing that increasing bothered me, some of the OCs I used. Some I'm okay with, others I feel just need some minor retooling but there are some that I have decided to remove completely. So I came to the conclusion to fix up SEED then move onto Destiny.

What exactly does that mean? Well I'm redoing SEED and what I've done with Destiny before moving into the new stuff. That being said there will be regular updates of at least one chapter every Friday, including this Friday until I'm done. At which point I will delete the older versions of the story and proceed with the updates of the new stuff.

Overall the story will play out the same with just some tweaks and removal of less important characters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED, it's characters and mobile suits. But I do own my OCs and original mobile suits.

* * *

><p><span>Phase One: False Peace<span>

January 25 C.E. 71

The Vesalius

With a sigh Saul Kessel put on his red helmet. He heard a click, signaling that the suit was sealed. He turned to close his locker and caught his reflection in the small mirror on the locker door. Brown eyes, half obscured by messy locks of black hair. His parents always complained about his messy hair. However he really didn't care how he looked, another source of annoyance for his parents. But then he was always the black sheep of the family.

But most of his thoughts revolved around this mission. Orb was supposed to be neutral and yet they were apparently making new weapons with the Earth Alliance. Wasn't Orb supposed to be neutral? So why were they helping the EA? It just didn't make sense to him. Yet they were. And now he and the rest of the team were suppose to attack a colony of a neutral nation and steal said weapons so they could be studied and eventually used against-

Yzak shouted something at him; bringing him out of his thoughts.

"What was that Yzak?" he asked his teammate.

"Jeez! How the hell did someone like you become a red coat?" Yzak shouted at him. "I said, hurry up and get the rest of your gear on!"

Yzak frequently asked him how someone like him became a ZAFT red coat as he usually didn't act like one. And it was kinda true. He tended to be rather lazy when he wasn't in a combat situation. But he was a skilled and unlike Yzak, a level-headed pilot and probably the best hacker on the entire team.

"Yeah, yeah. Calm down Yzak," he said in a lazy tone as he started to put on his jetpack and his combat gear.

"It's no wonder, that with all that shouting, you're hair turned white," he added when he finished, earning chuckles from Rusty, Nicol and Dearka as they started leaving for the hanger.

Yzak scowled at him and was about to say something, when Athrun intervened. "Enough. Save your bickering until after the mission is over."

"Sorry," Saul replied as politely as possible without actually meaning it.

But Yzak wasn't much of hurry to apologize either, merely grunting before he turned and making his way towards hanger with the others.

Saul shook his head as he buckled the last bit of his gear on. "One of these days he's gonna piss off the wrong person," he muttered to himself as he and Athrun followed the rest of the team to the hanger.

Athrun glanced at him with a cocked eyebrow. "What?"

"Just talking to myself," Saul replied. "Good luck out there, Athrun. Let's hope this mission goes off without a hitch."

Athrun nodded in response. "Same to you."

* * *

><p><span>Heliopolis<span>

Kira Yamato sighed as he typed away at his laptop. Professor Kato had given him a lot of work do and the guy who was suppose to be working with on this had decided about thirty minutes ago to take a break and had yet to resume working. "You know, you could actually start working again." he said as he looked up from his work and at the only other person in the gazebo.

The other person, a Coordinator named Christopher Dante, was currently playing his guitar. Chris, as he preferred to be call, was sixteen years old and a few inches taller than him. He had grayish-green eyes and dark brown hair that was styled into short, slicked back spikes. He was wearing blue jeans with a simple leather belt, a black t-shirt, and a gray unzipped hoodie. A pair of dog tags hung around his neck

Kira had only known him for a couple of months. And he was actually a bit surprised when he met him. He had heard rumors that Chris frequently picked fights with people. Leading Kira believe that he was violent person. Something that Kira would later learn wasn't true. Though he did get into fights, he had never seen Chris start a fight. Rather all of the fights he did get into were in the defense of someone getting bullied by someone else or to protect himself.

"I could." Chris replied as he continued strumming his guitar. "But you're so much better at this than I am."

Kira resisted the urge to roll his eyes. While it was true Chris was still more than competent at this. After all he was a student of the same technical college as him. "Professor Kato asked for us both to do this. So could you please get back to work."

The taller teen stopped his playing and leaned his instrument against the bench he was sitting against. "Alright, alight. Tell you what. You finish that page you're on and then I'll take over for awhile and you can take a break. Deal?"

"Deal." Kira replied as he resumed his work. Within moments a news report started on his laptop about the ZAFT invasion of Kaohsiung as Birdy landed on Chris's head.

"Birdy. Birdy," the mechanical bird chirped from its new perch.

"Hey! Get off of there!" Chris shouted as he tried to brush Birdy off of his head.

Kira couldn't help but chuckled at the scene as he half listen to the news report. The story was about a week old but then that wasn't all that since it was from Earth and coming from a warzone. It was more than likely that the fighting had long since ended though whether the city had fallen to ZAFT or repelled the invasion he couldn't say.

"Hey Kira! Chris!" a familiar voice called out.

Both of them turned their heads to see Tolle Koenig, Miriallia Haw, and Chris's younger sister, Elizabeth. Tolle was a tallest out of all them with a mop of messy auburn hair and bright gray eyes. His girlfriend Miriallia stood at his side with her short brown hair and blue eyes. Elizabeth was a couple inches shorter the Mir and had green eyes and light brown, almost dirty blond colored, shoulder length hair. She was wearing faded blue jeans with a rip in the left knee, and a bizarre purple and black stripped hoodie.

"Hi guys," Kira greeted as they walked up to the gazebo.

"Yo Tolle, Mir," Chris greeted as Birdy flew off his head and landed on Kira's shoulder. "Hope Liz wasn't being a pain."

Chris's sister replied with a whack his head, earning snickers from everyone else.

"So this is where you two are hangin' out," Tolle said. "Professor Kato was looking for both of you."

"Don't tell me he's got more work us to do for him?" Chris asked in an annoyed tone.

"I think so," Mir replied. "He's asked us to bring you both to him right away."

Kira sighed. He didn't mind helping the Professor but this was getting a bit much. "We're not even done what he dumped on us yesterday."

"Yeah," Chris agreed. "Why can't the professor do some of this himself?"

"Why are you complaining? Chances are you would have had Kira do most of it anyway," Elizabeth remarked as she sat down next to her brother.

"Well he should give it to Kira. He's the tech savvy one," Chris replied lamely in his defense.

Tolle and Miriallia sat down beside Kira, watching the news broadcast on Kira's laptop. "Looks like there's heavy fighting in Taiwan now," Tolle commented grimly.

"Yeah. Looks like ZAFT has its eyes on Kaohsiung and its mass driver if they haven't already taken it over," Chris said as he reached for his guitar and resumed strumming on it.

"Taiwan. That's not far from Orb. Will the homeland be safe?" a concerned Miriallia asked.

"Don't worry Orb is neutral. ZAFT isn't gonna attack it. And the Earth Alliance isn't gonna do anything either," Chris answered. "After all who'd what to attack Orb?"

"Yeah. I have to say we're pretty safe," Liz said in agreement with her brother. "Especially here in Heliopolis. We're neutral and there's absolutely nothing here."

The Creuset team silently moved through the bowels of Heliopolis, heading towards the secret hanger of the Archangel.

When reached the hanger, Athrun performed a series of handsignals. But it was unnecessary; they already knew what they were supposed to do. They quickly and silently separated, spreading out throughout the hanger and began planting explosives throughout the hanger.

They quickly regrouped and made their way towards the interior of Heliopolis. It was time for phase two.

* * *

><p><span>The Vesalius<span>

Rau Le Creuset glanced at his watch and smiled. It was time. By now his team should have successfully infiltrated Heliopolis, planted the explosives and were ready for the second phase to begin.

"It's time," he said to Captain Ades.

"Weigh anchor!" Ades ordered. "_Vesalius_ launch!"

* * *

><p>The instant the <em>Vesalius<em> and _Gamow_ emerged from their hiding spot behind some meteorites and moved towards Heliopolis, alarms went off in the Heliopolis's Dock Control room, in the bridge of the recently docked Earth Alliance ship and in the hanger control room of Archangel. Alliance officers and Heliopolis Dock authorities frantically scrambled to assess the situation and determine what to do. Attempts to communicate with the ZAFT warships were met with nothing but static. In fact all their channels were filled with static. They were being jammed by incoming vessels. There could be no doubt they were being attacked.

Their options were few. Heliopolis was a civilian colony of a neutral nation. It had no defenses to speak of beyond the prototypes that had been built in secret there but they were not ready for combat nor could they risk them being caught in battle at this point. The _Archangel_ and the G-Project would have to be immediately evacuated while what defenses they had would be used to distract the ZAFT forces.

While Heliopolis scrambled its defenses, the order was given to the skeleton crew of the _Archangel_ to prepare the ship for immediate takeoff. But mere moments after the order was given explosions tore the _Archangel_ hanger, killing the crew members in the hanger, destroying the Heliopolis Dock Control taking with them nearly all of the_ Archangel's_ command crew and the pilots of the G-Units.

* * *

><p><span>Morgenroete Factory District<span>

"What the hell? Did ZAFT fire at the colony?" Chief Nick Dante shouted as tremors from an explosion shook the colony. Work crews and soldiers either braced themselves or were knocked to ground. Fortunately the tremors were insufficient to inflict structural damage upon the factory.

Lt. Murrue Ramius gritted her teeth as she climbed back up to her feet. The situation was bad and there was no doubt in her mind that ZAFT was coming for the prototypes. Worse they would did not have to worry too much about the colony. Like it or not ZAFT hadn't broken the treaty, _they_ had. Firing on Heliopolis wouldn't change anything in that regard. The only way for any of them was to get the prototypes out of the colony as soon as possible. "I don't know! But we have to get the G-Weapons to the _Archangel_ now!" she ordered.

"The Surge, the Blitz, the Buster and the Duel are all ready to go. But we need more time to prep the Aegis, the Raven, the Strike and the Striker Packs for transport," Chief Dante replied, managing to stay calm despite the situation. He turned to several of Morgenroete crew members. "Mendez, Carter, take your crews and get those four machines out of here and to the _Archangel_!"

"Aye chief!" the two men answered.

He then turned to several other Morgenroete workers. "Jenkins, Riley, Johanna, get the rest of the crews and get remaining teams and get those machines ready for transport!"

The two men nodded and quickly went about their tasks while the woman, Johanna Dante, looked at her husband with concern. Nick put his hands on his wife's shoulders. "I know you're worried about the kids, but they're smart. They're probably already on their way to a shelter as we speak. They'll be fine. We have a job to do. We'll find them when we're finished here, I promise."

Johanna weakly nodded and joined the rest of the crews working on remaining mobile suits. He turned to Lt. Ramius as she drew her sidearm. "How the hell did ZAFT find out about this?"

Murrue shook her head. "I have no idea. Besides that's the least of our worries right now."

* * *

><p><span>Professor Kato's Lab<span>

Tremors shook lab, sending various equipment falling to the ground along with all of them. _'What was that?'_ Chris thought as steadied himself by grabbing the edge of the desk that he, Kira and Sai were at. Once the tremors died down, he called out, "Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah…" Kuzzey weakly said.

"I'm okay," Mir answered.

"Same," his sister said.

"I'm fine," Tolle called out from inside the exoskeleton they had been working on.

The blond haired guy that was waiting for the Professor nodded his head.

"Did a meteor hit the colony?" Sai asked.

"I don't know but we should get to the shelters just in case," Liz said.

Chris nodded his head. "I have to agree. We don't know what's going on. The smartest thing to do is to get to the shelters."

* * *

><p>"That's it," Yzak smugly said as he looked through his binoculars. "Just like Commander Le Creuset told us."<p>

"What? That if prod them enough, that they'd come out of their hole?" Dearka replied.

"Of course," Yzak arrogantly replied. "After the Naturals are stupid and pathetic."

Saul shook his head at Yzak's comment. "Don't underestimate your enemies Yzak. That will get you killed. And remember the Naturals were the ones that created us."

"Natural lover," Yzak shot back.

"I don't love Naturals," he replied. "Don't hate them either.

"Cut the chatter," Athrun said, lowering his own binoculars. "We still have a job to do. Miguel and Matthew will soon be here."

A moment later, two GINNs appeared overhead, soaring towards the convoy. With trained military precision they opened fire, destroying many of the military vehicles that were escorting the transport trucks without hitting them or their cargo. They activated their jetpacks, flying towards four of the six machines while the GINNs systematically destroyed the remaining escort vehicles.

"Destroy the parts we can't carry and the factories," Yzak ordered over the comm. "According to the intel there should be six machines."

"There's four here which means the other two must still be in factory," Saul said over the radio as he opened fire on the guards below.

"Rusty and I will continue on to the factory," Athrun said. "Yzak, you guys take these four."

"Alright," he replied before turning to the rest of the team. "Listen up those who take the one of those machines, disable the self-destruct first."

Saul, Yzak, Nicol, Dearka and half of the ZAFT soldiers with them landed near the transport vehicle of the first machine, firing at the soldiers closest to it.

"I got this one!" Saul shouted as he climbed into an open side hatch on vehicle. "You guys get the other three!"

_'Let's see what Orb and the Earth Alliance has come up with.'_

* * *

><p>More tremors shook the build as Chris and everyone else from Professor Kato's lab reached the elevators and stairwell. "What is going on here?" he said aloud to no one in particular.<p>

"Let's worry about getting out of here first then we worry about that," Sai replied as he pushed the elevator call button.

The second he did, the power failed.

"Well, it looks like we're taking the stairs," Tolle said as he opened the door to the stairwell, revealing dozens of other people climbing the stairs towards the surface and shelter pods.

"Hey! Do you guys know what's going on?" Tolle asked of them.

"I heard we're under attack from ZAFT," one man answered.

"Yeah, there are mobile suits inside the colony," another added.

"What?" Chris shouted disbelief. "Why the hell is ZAFT attacking us?"

Suddenly, the blond haired guy that had been waiting for Professor Kato took off down a hallway. "Wait! Come back!" Kira shouted as chased after the guy.

"Kira!" Tolle shout at his friend.

But Chris was faster, sprinting down the hall ahead of him, pausing only to shout back, "I'll go after them, you guys head to the shelters. We'll meet you there."

It didn't him long to catch up with the two of them in an area he had never been in before. Unfortunately the second he did catch up with them, part of the hallway behind him collapsed, sending them all stumbling to the ground. "Jeez… That was a close one," Chris muttered to himself as he stood up.

"You're a girl!" he heard Kira exclaim, drawing his attention. To Chris's own surprise the individual that he thought was a guy was indeed a girl, albeit a tomboy of a girl.

"Yeah. What'd you think I was?" the girl angrily snapped.

Kira, looking embarrassed attempted to lamely defend himself. "I...ah...just thought that-"

Another tremor shook the building at that moment, interrupting him. "I think we should get out of here _now_," Chris said, bracing himself against an open doorway.

I agree," the girl said. "You two go back. I need to check on something. By myself."

Chris just shook his head. He had no idea what this girl was after but she was going to get herself killed if stayed here. "Are you kidding? The entire hallway has completely collapsed. We can't go back that way."

"Yeah, there's no way for us to go back now," Kira said in agreement. "But there should be more shelters in the factory district. C'mon!"

* * *

><p><span>Morgenroete Factory District<span>

Athrun, Rusty, and the ZAFT soldiers with them, were near the hanger of the two remain EA machines. They had for the most part, avoided combat, thanks in part to the distraction caused by Miguel and Matthew in their GINNs. They had quietly moved around to one of the smaller side entrances of the now heavily guarded warehouse. Athrun slowly cracked open one of the side doors and he and Rusty tossed in grenades. A few seconds later there was a pair of explosions. "Go go go!" he shouted, waving the rest of the team in.

They charged into the warehouse, guns blazing.

Saul sighed as finished rewriting the machine's OS. He couldn't help but wonder about this rather crappy OS. You'd think that Orb and the EA would have been able to come up with a proper OS for these things. "Well, I'm done." he said over the comm. "How are you guys coming?"

_"What? Already? How the hell can such a lazy ass like you be done so fast_?" Yzak exclaimed in disbelief.

Dearka chuckled. _"Figures you're the first one done."_

_"You always were the fastest at this kind of thing,"_ Nicol added.

"What can I say, I know the language of computers," Saul replied, leaning back in his chair. "You guys better hurry up."

Of course he knew it was going take them a few more minutes before they were done. The only reason he was done so fast was that he was gifted when it came to computers. He decided to pass the time while he waited for the others to finish by looking over the specs of this machine.

_'The GAT-X209 'Surge'. Hmm...Phase Shift Armor. That sounds impressive. Let's see what this thing's got for weapons. Wow! I'm starting to like this thing. I hope I get use this baby after the mission is done.'_

* * *

><p><span>Morgenroete Factory District<span>

Athrun fired off a burst of rounds at an armed Morenroete employee. The man fell to the ground while he heard a woman cried out, "NICK!"

All around him gunfire and explosions were echoing throughout the factory. Though their team was outnumbered two to one, they were facing down only a handful of Alliance soldiers alongside armed factory workers with hardly any training. Much like the war itself, they easily overcoming a numerically superior enemy.

"Hey Athrun! We got a problem here!" Rusty shouted. "Someone screwed up! There are three machines here!"

"What?"

"Take a look!"

Athrun took a glance around at the Earth Alliance mobile suits. With all the fighting, he hadn't really paid any attention to them. But now he realized that someone had made a major mistake. There were _three_ prototypes in the warehouse. Meaning that there were seven machines, not six like their intel had said.

_'How could our intel be that off?'_

It didn't matter. They'd deal with it just the same. "We have to destroy the third machine!" he ordered. "Someone has to get into that machine and activate its self-destruct!"

When Chris, Kira and the blond girl reached the factory district, they found a warzone. Armed Morgenroete employees and Heliopolis security forces were fighting off ZAFT soldiers around three mobile suits. The machines were unlike anything he had seen before. ZAFT's mobile suits tended to bulky and simple looking things while these ones were slimmer and more elegant. And somehow they looked far more powerful than ZAFT's machines.

"Father, I knew you betrayed us all!" the girl shouted, bringing Chris from his thoughts.

For a moment both teens could only just stare at the girl, unsure of what she meant. But they would not have much of chance to ask about as suddenly an armed female Morgenroete employee spun around and aimed her rifle at them. The woman may not have said anything but the message was loud and call. It was time to get the hell out of here. "C'mon!" Kira shouted as he grabbed both his and the girl's arms and started running a block of shelters. "We have to get out of here!"

They quickly reached the nearest shelters without anyone else noticing them or taking shots at them. Unfortunately two of them were full but the third still had a green light over the door, signaling that there was still room in that shelter. Kira pushed the call button and a voice came over the intercom. _"Is there someone out there?"_ a voice asked.

"Yes. My friends and I need to get in. Please open the door," Kira answered.

_"Friends? As in more than one?"_

"Yes."

_"Sorry but we're full to capacity as it is. Try the shelters in the left block."_

"There's a girl with us," Chris said. "At least take her."

The man sighed and said, _"Okay, we'll take her."_

The door opened and without a word, both he and Kira shoved the girl in despite her protests. "Hey! What are you doing? Let me-" the rest of her cries were silenced when the door closed, sealing the shelter.

Chris couldn't help but let out a sigh. A part of him had been screaming to forget the girl and just jump into the shelter, to save his own hide. He was terrified plain and simple. Heliopolis was under attack and he wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of here. But as much as he may have wanted to get somewhere safe he couldn't do it at the expense of someone else. He wasn't that kind of person. "Well, let's get going Kira," he said. "If these shelters are full there's no telling how long the others will remain open."

Kira nodded his head in response and with that they took off back towards the main area of the warehouse, where the gun battle was still raging. They were halfway across the catwalks above the fighting when they spotted a ZAFT sniper on another catwalk, aiming at that woman from earlier. "Look out! Behind you!" Kira shouted at the oblivious woman, surprising the sniper in the process.

Instantly she spun around, spotting the sniper and fired, killing him.

"CHRIS! KIRA! What the hell are you two doing here?" the voice of Chirs's aunt, Johanna, called out from on top of one the mobile suits.

"Long story! Don't worry about us! We're heading to the shelters in the left block!" Chris shouted back to his aunt.

The instant those words left his tongue there was an explosion tore through the left block, exactly where the shelters were. Dread filled Chris's heart. Even if that blast hadn't destroyed the shelters it was unlikely that their doors were still operational. There was no way out for them. And the look on Kira's face was telling him that he was thinking the exact same thing.

"Both of you! Get down here now!" the woman they had saved called out.

For a moment Chris looked around, seeing if there was any other option. There wasn't. Yet dropping down into a firefight was not exactly something he was looking forward to. "Doesn't look like we have much of a choice Kira," he said dejectedly. "Now the question is how are we going to get down there?"

"I have an idea," Kira replied before leaping over the railing and onto the middle mobile suit that the woman was on.

Chris put a foot on the other railing, looking down at his aunt and the mobile suit she was on. "I know I'm gonna regret this," he said aloud before jumping off the other side of catwalk and onto the machine below. He landed on the machine's left shoulder, a little sore from the fall but otherwise alright. Chris glanced over at his aunt who was half crouched behind a part of the mobile suit, firing off a handgun at ZAFT soldiers. "What's going here? Why is ZAFT attacking us?" he shouted out to his aunt.

"Long story! Basically ZAFT wants the machines we've been building!" Johanna called as she fired the last rounds in her handgun, killing a soldier.

"Isn't that a treaty violation?"

Johanna was about to reply when an explosion tore through a part of the warehouse. Flames quickly spread across the warehouse, scorching soldiers on both sides. All around them debris was falling. Part of the catwalk they had been on collapsed, crushing a man that wasn't fast enough to escape. "Damn! This place isn't gonna last much longer!" she said, rising to her feet. "Get in the mobile suit! We need to get out of here!"

Chris nodded. The whole warehouse was going up in flames and so would they if they didn't get out of there. The cockpits of the mobile suits were without a doubt the safest place right now. He quickly scrambled into the cockpit, pausing only to catch a glimpse of Kira and that woman doing the same on another machine. As soon as he was in his aunt followed, closing the hatch behind her while he moved into a space next to the pilot's seat.

All around them the flames grew and grew, igniting smaller explosions in the process. Everyone still alive outside of the mobile suits were consumed and killed by the fires. A massive explosion tore through the warehouse as the GAT-X303 Aegis, the GAT-X305 Raven, and the GAT-X105 Strike rose up, breaking through their cradles as all three began their escape from the doomed building.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Mobile Suit Info:<span>**

"_Raven huh. Well, let's see what this thing can do." _Chris Dante

Mobile Suit Serial Number: GAT-X305 'Raven'  
>Unit Type: Prototype attack use transformable mobile suit<br>Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery  
>Special Equipment: Phase Shift Armor<br>Armament: 2x "Igelstellung" 75mm anti-air vulcan gun, 2x beam saber (mounted on the hips), 1x dual 52mm hyper velocity shield cannon (usable in both modes)  
>Mobile Armor Mode Armament: 2x "Ahura Mazda" short-range energy cannon, 2x M2M3 76mm machinegun<br>Pilot: Christopher Dante  
>Appearance: Appearance wise, it resembles the Raider Full Spec, save it possess the Raider's dual shield cannon and the additional thrusters on the back of the legs.<br>Colors: Primary midnight blue with red trim. White thighs, biceps, and face.  
>Info: The Raven is the predecessor to the GAT-333 Raider Full Spec and the technologically superior GAT-X370 'Raider'. Originally, it was suppose to the second last G-Weapon to be completed in Heliopolis. But due to a accident early in its construction, it was almost scrapped altogether, but ultimately it was completed the day before the attack on Heliopolis. As a result of this, Rau Le Creuset and the team he sent to Heliopolis were completely unaware of its construction and completion. Like the Raider and the Raider Full Spec, the Raven can transform into a bird-like Mobile Armor and can double as a atmospheric flight platform for other Mobile Suits.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I have to say, I think I'm in love." <em>Saul Kessel

Mobile Suit Serial Number: GAT-X204 'Surge'  
>Unit Type: Prototype high-speed attack mobile suit<br>Powerplant: Ultracompact energy battery  
>Special Equipment: Phase Shift Armor<br>Armament: 2x "Igelstellung" 75mm anti-air vulcan gun, 1x "Hakenfaust" piercer lock (triple claw), 1x DES-G07D+ long anti-armor sword, DES-G07D+ short anti-armor sword, 1x 55mm high-energy beam rifle  
>Pilot: Saul Kessel<br>Appearance: The Surge resembles the Blitz, save it lacks the shield/weapon unit on the right arm of the Blitz and has additional thrusters mounted on its back.  
>Color: Dark green with blue trim.<br>Info: The Surge is the fastest of all of G-Weapons that had been built at Heliopolis and is the sister unit to the Blitz. The Surge was designed for high-speed and melee combat and tactics. Although it is easily one of the fastest Mobile Suits ever designed, it tends to drain its battery faster than the other G-Weapons, if it overuses its high speed capabilities.

* * *

><p>Hope you all enjoyed this and see you all Friday!<p> 


	2. Phase 2: It's Name: Gundam

Yo everybody! Back with the second chapter. I was going to wait a bit later before I posted but I've gotten a little impatient after hearing from several of my old fans from the original as well as discovering that my fellow Gundam SEED writer, Maileesaeya has finally begun their final saga of the series. For you new people, go check out Mail's Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Dauntless, the first part of the Divinity Saga, an amazing trilogy inspired by my original SEED rewrite. Anyway I've decided to post at midnight (for me anyway) rather than wait until the morning and the clock has hit midnight here so enjoy!

Phase Two: It's Name: Gundam

January 25 C.E. 71

Morgenroete Factory District

As the flames consumed the warehouse three mobile suits emerged from the ruined building. Their movements were slow and shaky like the machines were being operated by trainees piloting a mobile suit for the first time. The Aegis pulled away from the other two machines as a pair of GINNS landed nearby the three prototype mobile suits. Chris silently watched his aunt struggle to operate the machine. Though he knew they were still in danger he couldn't help but feel concerned about his sister and the others. Had they safely reached a shelter? Or were they still out in the open, in danger of being caught in the ongoing battle?

"Dammit," Johanna cursed as the mobile suit shook unsteadily. "They still haven't perfected the operating system yet. How did they ever expect this thing to be combat ready with this crappy OS?"

Chris couldn't help but agree with her. Given the machine's jerky movements the operating system was clearly lacking in capability which was very bad for them if those GINNs decided to attack. Mobile suits were fast and agile while this one wasn't. They wouldn't stand a chance in a battle. A woman's voice came over the radio, distracting him from the GINNs. _"Pilot of the Raven, identify yourself."_

"This is Johanna Dante of Morgenroete," his aunt replied. "Lt. Ramius? Is that you?"

_"Yes,"_ the woman, Lt. Ramius answered. _"It's good to see that you managed to survive and get that machine out of there."_

"Is Kira with you?"

_"The boy? Yes, he's here."_

Despite having seen Kira get into one of the other mobile suits a part of him was worried for his friend and he was relieved to hear that Kira was alright. He had already lost too many friends because of this horrible war.

"Good," Johanna said. "Now listen to me Lt. Ramius, the OS still isn't ready for a Natural like you and myself to pilot. If we're going to make it through this we need to do something drastic. Have Kira to pilot the Strike."

Chris could only stare at her like she had grown a second head. She wanted Kira to pilot a military machine in combat with another military machine being piloted by an experienced pilot. That was…well crazy. "What?" both he and Lt. Ramius said in disbelief.

But his aunt just ignored him, her attention focused elsewhere. "Kira's a Coordinator just like my nephew. They'll been able to handle these machines without a complex OS," she explained.

She wanted him to pilot this mobile suit? Could this day get any crazier? "What?" he exclaimed.

But he wasn't the only one that was surprised by her announcement. _"I cannot allow a civilian to pilot a top secret machine,"_ Ramius replied.

At that moment the two GINNs holstered their rifles, pulled out their swords and started advancing towards them while the Aegis flew off, ending their conversation then and there. Johanna quickly pushed a button on the console, activating the Raven's Phase Shift armor. Its dull gray body turned to midnight blue with red trim. One of the GINNs raised its sword over its head. She barely managed to raise the Raven's shield cannon to block the sword strike and push back the GINN. Johanna cursed as she struggled to keep the machine moving. "We don't have much time Murrue. It's the only way to save these two machines." Johanna then moved out of the seat and said in voice that allowed for no argument, "Get in."

Chris wordlessly obeyed, sitting down in the chair before he began to experiment with the controls all the while thinking, _'What the hell am I doing in this thing?'_

"You probably gonna have to rewrite the OS to better accommodate a Coordinator like yourself," his aunt said as she moved to his side.

"Oh great," he mumbled to himself as he began rewrite the system. While Kira was better at this kind of stuff, Chris was no slouch. Fingers swiftly danced across the machine's keyboard, frantically trying to rework the system. All things considering, the system wasn't all that dissimilar to what they had been working on for Professor Kato so at least he had that going for him. Unfortunately the GINN wasn't about to give him the time he needed. It lunged at him with its sword. Chris barely managed to sidestep the attack. "Dammit. I need more time," he cursed as he continued to type away while keeping an eye on the GINN.

GINN swung its sword again and again at him but each time he dodged the blows. And Chris noted that the machine's movements as well as his own reactions were becoming quicker and smoother. The mobile suit's movements weren't perfect but definitely better than it was earlier. The pilot of the GINN was clearly getting angry as his swings were getting wilder and wilder, making it easier for him to avoid the attacks and rewrite the OS. "This will have to do for now," he said to himself as he finished his typing.

He hadn't completely rewritten the OS, but he didn't have the time to do that while dodging attacks. But it was enough for him to properly pilot the machine without too much difficultly. The GINN swung its sword in a downward arc. He sidestepped it again and punched the GINN's head, sending it falling to the ground. With the GINN momentarily down, Chris turned his attention to the machine's readout screens, looking to what exactly he had at his disposal.

_'Let's see..."Igelstellung" 75mm anti-air vulcan guns, beam sabers and a dual 52mm hyper velocity shield cannon,'_ he thought as he scanned the screen._ 'Hmm... Mobile Armor Mode, I don't think I'll be trying that one today.'_

However the GINN quickly got back onto its feet, drawing back his attention. He could imagine that the ZAFT pilot was getting pretty pissed by now. The mobile suit charged at him, its sword pulled back. Instinctively Chris squeezed the trigger on the right control stick, firing the two head mounted Igelstellungs. The anti-air rounds did nothing to the GINN's armor but they did catch the pilot off guard and he stopped his charge. For a brief moment the GINN paused, seemingly surprised by the sudden but futile attack. It then sheathed its sword, drew its rifle and fired. Rounds struck the mobile suit, violently shaking it and its occupants but thankfully they didn't penetrate the armor. Seeing that his weapon had no effect on the machine's armor, the GINN stopped firing. "Wow. This thing's armor must be quite strong if it can take bullets from a mobile suit rifle without any real damage," Chris said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Phase Shift Armor," his aunt replied. "The Raven, the Strike and all the other units we built have it. As long we have power that rifle shouldn't be able to penetrate it."

Chris tightened his grip on the controls, his breaths coming out slowly and steadily. "Alright then… let's see what this thing can do."

* * *

><p>The Strike shook violently from the GINN's latest sword blow, sending it crashing into a building as people below them ran for their lives. Again Kira found himself struggling to stay upright in cockpit while Lieutenant Ramius struggled with piloting the mobile suit. It was crazy. While he didn't particularly want to fight he didn't want to die either and that what was going to happen if this kept up. It was just like Chris's aunt had said; the operating system wasn't up to par and it was going to get them killed unless they did something to change that.<p>

Suddenly something on the monitors caught his eyes and he froze in shock. There, running desperately from the building and the fight was his friends. They hadn't made it to the shelters yet! He had to act now before they could get hurt or worse. "Move aside already!" he angrily demaned.

Relenting Ramius did so and Kira took the pilot seat. He pulled out the keyboard and began typing away at lightning speed, one eye on the GINN as it stood up and readied for another attack. Seeing his friends running like that had also brought his mind back to the other mobile suit, the one Chris was in. He hoped that Chris and his aunt were faring better than they were though if the machine they were in has the same sort of armor as the one he was in they'd probably be fine. As the GINN approached, Kira finished his first set of calibrations and fired the head vulcans at the GINN. The machine stumbled back a step as it stabbed forward, giving Kira an opening. Deftly evading the sword, he cocked back the Strike's fist and punched the GINN in the face.

"Take the calibrations and reset the zero moment point and CPG," Kira muttered to himself, still watching the GINN as raced to finish the work. '_Connect control module to quasi-cortex molecular ion pump. Rebuild neural linkage network, update metamotor cortex parameters. Restart feet forward control, transfer fuctions, correct for corrial asteviation, online.'_

The GINN stood up and fired at them with his rifle, shaking the mobile suit but doing little else. Gripping the controls Kira drove the prototype into the air, evading further fire. "Weapons…" Kira said aloud as he scanned the Strike's computer. The offensive system screen came up, listing two head-mounted 75mm vulcan guns and two hip-concealed assault knives as the only weapons it currently had. "Armor Schneider?" Kira incredulously exclaimed. "That's all there is?"

There was no other choice though. Drawing the weapons from their compartments Kira raced towards the GINN which began to fire wildly in an attempt at driving him off. While the bullets wouldn't do much against the Strike's armor they could still be fatal to those people still scrambling to escape the battle, his friends included. "No, don't do it here!" Kira cried. "Stop it!"

Kira ducked under fire from the GINN's machine gun and stabbed forward with both knives into the GINN's neck, watching with some satisfaction as the machine's arms went limp. However he failed to notice a moment later when the GINN's pilot made his escape, unaware that he had triggered the self-destruct.

* * *

><p>He raised the Raven's right arm with its mounted cannon and fired. A pair of high velocity shots streaked towards the GINN. Unfortunately the cannon's calibration was off. The first shot missed entirely while the second shot severed the GINN's right arm at the elbow. The GINN staggered back a few steps and took off into the air, deciding to retreat rather than risk anymore damage. Not that Chris was complaining. The idea of a prolonged battle with a trained soldier was not exactly what he considered a good idea.<p>

Suddenly a loud nearby explosion rocked them. Chris frantically looked around, expecting another ZAFT attacker. Instead he witnessed the other mobile suit, the Strike stumbling backwards from an explosion. "KIRA!" he shouted.

But to his relief the Strike managed to stay standing and appeared to be undamaged. The only sign of the other GINN was the flaming wreckage strewn around the ground. It was over. The ZAFT forces had retreated. Heliopolis was safe.

Johanna leaned over him, pressing the comm. button. "Lt. Ramius, Kira, are you two alright?" she asked.

_"I'm fine,"_ Kira replied. _"But that woman's injured and unconscious."_

"Okay," his aunt said, leaning back. "There's a park not far from here. We'll go there and regroup. Got it?"

_"Got it."_

Johanna then put her hand on his shoulder, concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Chris blinked, not quite understanding why she was asking. "Huh?"

For the first time Chris realized that he was breathing heavily, sweating buckets and he had a deathgrip on the controls. He felt a little light-headed and scared but at the same time, he had this lingering sense of excitement like he had just gotten off an intense amusement park ride. With a sigh of relief he let go of the controls and watched his hands slightly tremble for a moment. Part of him couldn't help but wonder how they had just survived that battle. This was his first time in a mobile suit and yet he had managed to beat a trained ZAFT pilot while rewriting part of the OS.

Chris reached up and wrapped a hand around his grandfather's dogtags. His grandfather had always said that these dogtags were lucky and would protect the wearer. Before today he had just passed it off as has his grandfather being superstitious. Now he wasn't so sure. After a moment Chris nodded his head. "I'll be alright." He paused and looked over at his aunt. "Hey what's this machine's name?"

"It's the GAT-X305 Raven," Johanna answered. "And the machine that Kira is in is the GAT-X105 Strike."

"The Raven," he said, gripping the controls once more. "So you made this thing?"

"Yes. But at the moment I can't really tell you much else. This is all supposed to be top secret," she answered. "Of course all of this wasn't supposed to happen."

"Is Uncle Nick apart of this as well?"

The second he asked that he regretted it. A pained look spread across his aunt's face, look that told him all he needed to know. "He didn't make it. A ZAFT soldier shot him," she answered.

"I'm sorry," Chris said, hanging his head in sorrow. This damned war had claimed another person he cared about.

Johanna rubbed his shoulder. "Come on. We have to go. We can mourn later," she urged, gesturing towards the park she had mentioned. Kira was already heading there. Slowly he began to work the controls, getting feel on how to actually move the Raven as he made his way to the park.

When they reached the park both he and Kira, with some instruction from his aunt, had the mobile suits knee down and deactivated their Phase Shift Armor system before disembarking. To their surprise they were not alone. Liz, Tolle, Sai, Miriallia and Kuzzey arrived together at the park as well.

"What are you guys doing here?" Chris demanded as he and Kira approached the group. "You're supposed to be in the shelters not running around out here!"

The instant he reached them Chris embraced his little sister in a hug. He usually wasn't the type for this kind of thing but thought of his sister out there in the middle of a battle had scared him half to death. "You could have been killed," he quietly uttered.

"I'm sorry," Liz guiltily replied, returning the embrace. "We tried to get to the shelters but when we got outside we got caught up in all the fighting."

"You guys were amazing! And those machines were awesome!" Tolle shouted like a kid in a candy store, drawing everyone's attention back to the mobile suits. "Where'd those machines come from? And-"

"Can we save the questions for later?" Johanna interrupted, approaching the group. "There's an injured person in the cockpit of the Strike and I'm gonna need some help carrying her out of the cockpit."

"What do you want us to do?" Kira asked.

"Kira, you, Tolle and Sai will help me get her out of the cockpit," Johanna said, gesturing towards the Strike behind her. "Chirs, I want you to get back in the Raven and finish rewriting the OS. ZAFT may have left but they could come back so we better prepare ourselves just in case. As much as I hate it you and Kira are the only ones who can pilot these machines. And once we get Lt. Ramius out of the cockpit, Kira I want to do the same with the Strike."

"Actually I completely rewrote the OS during the battle," the brunette admitted.

The older woman blinked her eyes in surprise. "What? Wow… That's amazing," she said in awe of his abilities. "I knew you Coordinators had impressive abilities but...wow."

Wow was right. Just rewriting an operation system like that in less than a few minutes was impressive even for a Coordinator. To do so while under attack was… well incredible, unbelievable. Chris doubted that little more than a handful of individual could have done the same.

"What about the rest of us?" Miriallia asked.

"Just stay out of the way for now," Johanna answered, clapping her hands together. "Okay let's get to it."

Chris turned and headed back into the Raven while Kira and the others went about their tasks. A few minutes he sighed as he sat down in cockpit and pulled out the keyboard, his fingers rapidly dancing across the keys. While he wouldn't admit it out loud he was a little jealous at what Kira had accomplished. Perhaps that was why he was suddenly determined to rewrite the OS as fast as possible. Though he had to admit this machine was impressive. And he was kind of curious about the full extent of the Raven's abilities. He almost wished that ZAFT would launch another attack just so he could see its abilities.

The keyword there being 'almost'. If ZAFT did attack again it would only further endanger Heliopolis and its people. That was too steep a price just to fly around in a mobile suit, no matter how cool it was.

A short while later as work neared completion his aunt climbed into the Raven's cockpit. "How's it coming?" she asked.

"Almost done," he replied without looking up from the screens. "How's the Lieutenant?"

"We treated her wound as best as we could. I'm not a doctor but I think bullet just grazed her arm. She's still unconscious though."

Chris nodded his head, half listening to her half focused on the screen. "So what now?"

"Well the Strike is low on power from its battle so I'm gonna go see if I can find a transport trucks with one of the Striker Packs for the Strike," Johanna explained, leaning against one side of the open hatch.

At this Chris looked up at his aunt, giving her an inquiring look. "Striker Packs?"

"Basically an armament pack and battery recharge for the Strike," she replied. "Unlike the Raven and the other G-Units, the Strike has few build-in weapons. Instead it can become equipped with various different weapon packs, allowing the machine to serve multiple roles on a battlefield as needed. The Raven on the other hand was designed primarily for space and atmospheric combat."

"Wow. That sounds quite impressive."

A pleased grin spread across the woman's face. "Yes, the Strike is easily the most impressive and powerful of the prototypes we made. But I always preferred the Raven and the Aegis."

"The Aegis?"

"That was the third machine in the warehouse," she nonchalantly replied.

"Oh. What's so special about this machine and that one?"

The smile on her face widened. "They both transform into mobile armors. When I was a child I always loved the idea of a transforming robot. In fact that's one of the reasons I fought to save the Raven from being scrapped after the accident."

"There was an accident?"

"Yes. Early in the construction of the Raven there was an accident. Half of the crews working on it had died or were seriously injured. Afterwards the higher-ups wanted to scrap the Raven and focus on the other units. Myself and some of the others that had been working on these machines had decided that we shouldn't discard the Raven just because of the accident. We argued that the Raven had for the most part survived the accident and could be salvaged and that by abandoning it all those who died would have died in vain. Eventually they agreed to allow us to finish it."

Chris leaned back in his seat, folding back up the keyboard and shutting down the Raven. All things considering it was fortunate for them that they had finished it. Without the Raven they would have been incinerated in the blast that took out the factory. Yet there was something about this whole situation that was bothering him. "What I don't understand is why did ZAFT attack us? Orb is neutral. Even if it was developing new weapons, that still isn't a reason to violate the treaty and attack Heliopolis."

Johanna hesitated to respond, unable to meet his gaze. "We violated the treaty," she guiltily admitted.

Chris froze in shock. "What?"

"We worked on these machines with the Earth Alliance. That injured lieutenant is an Alliance officer."

Shock quickly gave way to anger. ZAFT attacked Heliopolis because they had already gone behind everyone's back to build these things with the Alliance. How many people were dead today because of it? A scowl spread Chris's face. "Why would the Orb government do that? We're neutral! And for that matter how you could be a part of all this?"

"To be fair nearly all of the Orb crews on the project, myself included did not know until it was far too late," Johanna somberly replied. "Stopping would not have changed anything. And at the time the benefits seemed to outweigh the danger."

"It was still wrong."

His aunt just shrugged her shoulders. "Tell that to the politicians."

Chris had never met the famed Lion of Orb but his grandfather had and he always spoke highly of Uzumi Nara Athha. The Chief Representative had always spoken of maintaining Orb's neutrally yet if he authorized building these mobile suits with the EA than how could Orb stay neutral? What reason did he have for violating the treaty like that?

"Well I'm going now. I'll be back in a little while," Johanna said as she climbing out of the cockpit. "Let's hope that ZAFT has decided to leave rather than risk further damage to the colony by trying to capture these two machines." She paused and added, "None of us wanted this to happen to Heliopolis."

The young Coordinator leaned back in the chair, wondering what would happen now. These machines were clearly top secret and he doubted that the authorities would just let all of them walk away after seeing these top secret machines and in the case of Kira and himself, pilot these mobile suits. They were in deep, deep trouble and not just from the possibility of another impending ZAFT attack.

However, he would not have long to think about it as the sounds of gunshots and a woman shouting drew him from thoughts. "Oh what now," Chris muttered as rose up from the seat, sticking his head out the open hatch.

The Alliance woman, Lt. Ramius was up and not looking pleased at all. On the nearby Strike Tolle and Kuzzey stood frozen in panic as the officer aimed her handgun at them. "I said get out of that machine!" she called out, turning from the Strike to the Raven.

Deciding that it was better not to argue with an armed military officer the teens quickly climbed down from the mobile suits as she trained her weapon on them. "Stop! What are you doing?" Kira exclaimed, moving to the front of the lieutenant. "They helped get you of the cockpit and tended to your wound."

"I am grateful for your help," the lieutenant replied, her tone softening. "But these two machines are part of a top secret military project. It isn't something civilians should be allowed to touch carelessly."

"Ah c'mon Kira and Chris were piloting those things not too long ago," Tolle said in their defense.

But the lieutenant ignored Tolle and motioned with her gun for everyone to get together in one group which they quickly did. "Now tell me your names," she ordered.

"Kuzzey Buskirk."

"Sai Argyle."

"Miriallia Haw."

"Tolle Koenig."

"Elizabeth Dante."

"Chris Dante."

Kira defiantly glared at her for a moment before he too gave his. "Kira Yamato."

"Lt. Murrue Ramius. I'm an officer of the Earth Alliance. I'm sorry to tell you this but I cannot allow any of you to leave," the woman said, earning cries of shock and outrage from the teens. "As I said you have been exposed to a military secret and until I can reach the proper authorities and they can determine what to do with all of you I cannot allow you to leave my sight."

"We're citizens of Orb. You can't boss us around," Tolle definitely shot back.

Chris shook his head. "In case you haven't noticed Tolle, she's got a gun. So you probably shouldn't piss her off."

"You should listen to him. It will make things easier on everyone," Ramius replied. "Now where is Johanna Dante?"

"She left saying that she was going to find one of the Striker Packs for the Strike," Chris explained. "She'll be back soon I guess."

"Good. That will speed things up a bit," Ramius said as she lowered her gun. "Okay, Chris, Kira, I want one of you to get on the radio and try to get in contact with my superiors or the _Archangel_."

"I'll do it," Chris said, raising hand up. "The Raven has more power than the Strike does at the moment." He turned and took a step before pausing. "Ah… what's the _Archangel_?"

"It's the warship that we were building in addition to the G-Units," the officer answered.

"Wait! You were building a warship too?" Chris exclaimed, a sentiment shared by his friends.

"Yes, now go and get on the radio so we can assess the situation," Lt. Ramius sternly instructed.

"Yeah, yeah," Chris quietly muttered to himself, turning back to the Raven. Once he reached the feet of the machine he began to climbed back into the cockpit. "I could have been lazy today. I could have stayed home but _no_ I had to be a slave for a taskmaster of a professor. I just _had_ to chase after a blonde tomboy," he ranted as he sat down in the seat. "This is one big we've gotten ourselves into isn't?"

With a sigh he powered up the mobile suit and turned on the radio. "This is the GAT-X305 Raven. Any members of the Earth Forces still in Heliopolis please respond," he called out as he cycled through the listed Alliance channels. There was no response so he tried again and again no response. Chris couldn't help but wonder if there were any Earth Forces left alive in Heliopolis. He tried a few more times just in case but had no success. He turned off the machine and stepped out of the cockpit, looking down at the group "I can't get anything! Either we're being jammed or...there's no one left to hear my calls!"

"Alright then you can come down! We'll try again a little later!" Lt. Ramius replied.

As he climbed back down, a large truck pulling trailer pulled up. The truck stopped near the Strike and his aunt stepped out. "Lt. Ramius, it's good to see you're up." she called out as she walked towards them. "I managed to get the Launcher Striker."

The officer nodded her head. "Good. Let's get this thing hooked up."

"Kira get back in the Strike while I get the Launcher Striker ready for you," Johanna said as she back to the truck. She stepped back into the cab of the truck and pushed a button on the dashboard. The trailer folded open revealing the Launcher Striker. "Kneel down with the Strike's back facing in this side of trailer."

Without a word Kira headed back for the Strike's cockpit. Once he was in and the mobile suit was powered up, he carefully maneuvered it next to the trailer, turned around and knelt down as instructed. Johanna gave him a thumbs up. "Okay. I'm gonna mount the entire unit on the-"

A loud explosion from above silenced her and everyone looked up. A ball of fire tore through a part of the central shaft of Heliopolis. A ZAFT CGUE emerged from the fireball followed by an Earth Alliance Moebius Zero. The fighting was not over.

"Chris! Power up the Raven now!" Johanna shouted.

The second he had seen the ZAFT machine Chris crashed back into his seat, rapidly going through the power up sequence as the others started to mount the Launcher Striker on the Strike. During this the CGUE sliced off part of the barrel of the Moebius's gun, rendering it helpless and now had its eye set on the Strike and the Raven.

Chris aimed the Raven's arm cannon at the CGUE and opened fire. But CGUE effortlessly dodged every shot as it flew towards them. _'Damn. This guy is good. Gonna have to try something different or we're all going to die,'_ he thought._ 'Well, let's see what this thing can do in the air.'_

The Raven leapt into the air, its thrusters blazing. Chris fired its cannon at the CGUE as it flew away from where the Strike was. He had to distract the ZAFT machine long enough for the Launcher Striker to be mounted on the Strike and for Liz and the others to get away from the area. And sure enough the CGUE turned and began to fire at him as it dodged the energy shots.

_'Yes! Follow the little birdie. Don't worry about the defenseless machine on the ground.'_

Chris honestly didn't know how long he could hold out by himself against this machine. The pilot was clearly an experienced ace and he on the other hand was piloting a mobile suit for the second time with no formal training. Maybe a couple of minutes if he was lucky, long enough for the Strike to be equipped and for Kira to come help.

He hoped anyway.

* * *

><p>Rau Le Creuset was beginning to become annoyed. Athrun had reported that not only had the Strike stayed in the hands of the Earth Forces but that the supposedly scrapped seventh machine had been built and was still in their hands. While he had rendered that pest Mu La Flaga defenseless, providing him with a chance to destroy the two deactivated mobile suits the first of them had reactivated and started firing at him, trying to draw him away from the other machine which the Raven's pilot had succeeded in doing. After all he couldn't exactly destroy the Strike while that other active mobile suit was attempting to shoot him down. Evading the high-velocity rounds flying at him with the skill of a true ace, Rau had to admit that the pilot had some skill though he was clearly a rookie. No matter he'd destroy the Raven first then the Strike. "You're pretty good with a gun but let's see how you fair against a sword," he said as he switched from the CGUE's rifle to its sword.<p>

* * *

><p>The CGUE suddenly switched from its gun to its sword and charged. Chris quickly fired the arm cannons at the ZAFT machine but it sidestepped every shot as it rocketed towards him. At the last second Chris blocked the sword with the shield part of the Raven's cannon while its left hand reached for the beam saber on the right side of its waist. He drew the saber, activated it and slashed at the CGUE but it quickly parried the blow with its own sword. Chris swung again and again at the mobile suit. Every time it effortlessly dodged, sidestepped, blocked or parried his attacks while whenever it attacked Chris barely did the same.<p>

_'Damn. This guy is really good. At this rate unless Kira can lend me a hand I'm not gonna last much longer.'_

* * *

><p><span>The Archangel<span>

Ensign Natarle Badgiruel and the handful of surviving crew members that currently had made up the bridge crew of the _Archangel_ rushed to get the warship online. While the ZAFT infiltrators had been quite efficient in their attack, wiping out the _Archangel's_ captain, the command crew, the G-Pilots and majority of the crew that had been outside the ship along with scores of Heliopolis Dock personnel with their explosives they had failed to seriously damage or destroy it. Clearly they had underestimated the construction and resiliency of the _Archangel_. However despite surviving the destruction around them they had been left blind and deaf in the badly damaged hanger. The hanger had been reinforced to block out sensors and communications as a security measure with the ship directly connected to Heliopolis's communication network. Unfortunately the hard lines had been severed in the blasts leaving them cutoff from the outside world. It was now imperative that they escape the hanger and try to find out what the current situation is.

"All systems are green. We're ready to go," Chandra reported.

Unfortunately there was no way for them to open the hanger doors if they were even still operational. So their only option was to a make a door. "Take us out, maximum speed," Natarle ordered. "When the ship reaches maximum speed fire the Lohengrins."

The _Archangel's_ engines came to life, propelling the vessel forward. A moment later the two Lohengrin cannons unfolded and began to charge up. The cannons discharged, the twin beams destroying the doors in a massive explosion.

* * *

><p>Everyone heard and felt the explosion. The thundering rumble of the colony floor, shrieking tearing of metal and the ear-piercing roar of the blast overwhelmed everything else. Even the fighting stopped as they all turned to the source of the explosion. Fire tore through a part of Heliopolis's superstructure as they all watched in stunned silence as the <em>Archangel<em> emerge from the fireball.

* * *

><p>All and all I have to say of these first couple of chapters I've been working on, this one has come out the best in my mind compared to its original version. I'm quite pleased with how it came out. See ya next Friday guys.<p> 


	3. Phase 3: Collapsing Land

Yo everybody and happy Easter weekend! Another Friday, another chapter for your enjoyment.

Phase Three: Collapsing Land

January 25 C.E. 71

Heliopolis

Chris stared at the warship as it flew into Heliopolis. It was unlike any vessel he had ever seen before, not that his knowledge of spacefaring ships was all that extensive. However given that it had blasted its way through the interior of Heliopolis's superstructure rather than from the outside it likely wasn't a ZAFT warship. Which probably meant that it had been built here, likely along with the mobile suits but that still raised the question was it an enemy or a friend?

As though to answer his question the CGUE turned away from him and headed for the ship, switching from its sword to its rifle. It strafed the vessel but it caused little to no damage to the ship. "Guess that answers my question," Chris said to himself, firing a few more shots at the ZAFT mobile suit.

But none of his shots found their marks as the CGUE turned and started what looked like another run on the ship when it suddenly dove downwards, towards where the Strike was and...

His heart skipped a beat. The CGUE was going to fire on Kira and the others-the others who were out in the open with nothing to protect them from the machine's bullets. _'Liz!'_

Chris gripped the controls in a deathgrip as he pushed the Raven as fast as it could go. He had to intercept the CGUE before it attacked or it could easily kill his friends and family. "Get away from them!" he screamed. But it was already too late. The thundering roar of the CGUE's rifle sounded a hundred times louder than it was before as it fired upon the Strike and those who were nearby it. "NO!"

Yet as fast as the CGUE was the now armed Strike was faster, firing the shoulder mounted gun. The grey mobile suit sharply pulled up from its dive to avoid the shots, ending its attack run. But he wasn't about to let him get away, not after that. "Oh no," Chris angrily said as he fired the Raven's cannon at the CGUE. "You're not getting away now."

The CGUE flew upwards, dodging the shots. As it did the warship fired four missiles at the mobile suit. The pilot destroyed two of the missiles but the other two missed their mark completely, bypassing the machine entirely and hitting Heliopolis's central shaft. Chris grimaced as he watched his home suffer yet more damage from the fighting. He couldn't help but wonder how much more Heliopolis could take.

However his thoughts wouldn't be dwelling on it for much longer as a warning massage appeared on his screens. It was the low power warning. The Raven's power had dropped below thirty percent. _'Damn,'_ Chris mentally cursed at the sight of it.

"Kira," he called over the comm. "I'm running low on power here. We have to end this fight now. I'll try to keep him busy, you hit him with that big gun of your's. Got it?"

_"Got it,"_ Kira replied.

Chris aimed and fired the cannon at the ZAFT mobile suit. But yet again the skilled ZAFT pilot avoided the shots and turned its attention back to him, his rifle trained on him. It was about to fire when a massive beam streaked towards it. The pilot barely managed dodged the beam but his mobile suit lost its right arm in the process. Unfortunately the beam continued traveling through the sky and pierced Heliopolis, tearing a hole through the side of it. "No..." Chris weakly uttered as the CGUE fled through the hole. "What did you do Kira?"

* * *

><p>Rau scowled as he slipped through the tear in Heliopolis's superstructure. The mission had been proceeding exactly as planned, the infiltration of Heliopolis had been successful and the team had located the prototypes, the colony's meager defenses had been crushed with one small exception, Mu La Flaga but even then a single mobile armor couldn't hope to stop them. Yet at what should have been his team's greatest moment of triumph turned sour. The seventh and supposedly scrapped machine had been built, leaving them with an extra machine on their hands. Then to compound matters they had failed to prevent the Alliance from getting their own people into two of the prototypes. To his surprise he heard reports over the radio indicating that both Miguel and Matthew had been beaten by the Natural pilots of the Strike and the Raven. Worse his own engagement with them had resulted with his CGUE damaged, forcing him to retreat. Beaten by a pair of rookies—talented rookies but rookies never the less. And then in one final insult, the prototype warship that should have been destroyed by their explosives stood intact and seemingly undamaged. Were it not for the fact that they had the battle records of those two machines in action, he'd be the laughingstock of ZAFT for this.<p>

Though even with the warship they weren't going to escape Heliopolis. The Earth Forces no longer had the element of surprise with them; his team would be ready for them in the next time.

* * *

><p><span>The Archangel<span>

From atop the Strike's hand Lieutenant Murrue Ramius let out a sigh of relief as the _Archangel_ drew closer and closer. For awhile there she had begun to worry that she was only Alliance officer left in Heliopolis. Fortunately from the looks of it the _Archangel_ was undamaged by the attack on the colony. With any luck the Captain was aboard and had already gotten in touch with Lunar Headquarters, who were already sending reinforcements. Wishful thinking perhaps but they could sure use it right now.

One of the _Archangel's_ mobile suit hatches opened up before them, allowing the Strike and the Raven as well as the damaged Moebius Zero that had been fighting the CGUE to land. Once inside the hanger the two mobile suits carefully knelt down side by side and lowered their arms, allowing their passengers to get off.

"Lt. Ramius!" Ensign Natarle Badgiruel called out as she and other members of the _Archangel's_ crew approached them. When they reached them, Badgiruel and the junior officers snapped to attention. "I'm relieved to see that you're alright."

Murrue returned the salute, a slight smile on her face. "You as well," she replied. "I'm pleased to see that you and the _Archangel_ survived. You do realize that you saved our lives back there."

"Indeed," Johanna Dante added as she stepped forward. "If you hadn't shown up when you did that CGUE would have likely would have destroyed both the Raven and the Strike."

At that moment the cockpits of the Raven and the Strike opened and their young pilots climbed out. Naturally the officers and crewmen stared in disbelief at the two teenagers climbing out of the cockpits of two of their top secret mobile suits. While younger and younger people were getting involved in the war on both sides these two were clearly not the pilots of the G-Units.

"Come on," Murdoch, the Hanger Crew Chief exclaimed. "What's going on here? Those machines were piloted by a couple of kids."

"Lieutenant Ramius, what's going on here?" Natarle asked, clearly as confused as everyone else was.

Murrue opened her mouth to explain everything when the Moebius pilot interrupted. "Wow. Now this is a surprise," he said as he approached before saluting her. "I'm Lieutenant Mu La Flaga of the 7th Orbital Fleet."

"I'm Lieutenant Murrue Ramius of Sector 2, 5th Special Division," Murrue replied, returning the gesture with Natarle and the rest of the gathered Alliance personnel.

"Ensign Natarle Badgiruel of the same division," the junior officer added.

The lieutenant dropped his hand and nodded his head. "I'd like permission to come aboard. Who's in charge here?"

Ensign Badgiruel opened her mouth to respond but hesitated for a moment before answering, "The captain and all of the ranking officers of this ship have all died in the explosions at the beginning of the attack."

Murrue's heart skipped a beat. The situation had in a second changed from bad to worse. The Captain had been a veteran ship commander, one of the best in the Atlantic Federation. It was because of his service record that he had been given command of the _Archangel_. "Captain Cassius is dead?" she said aloud in disbelief.

"Therefore I believe Lieutenant Ramius is now in command," Natarle continued. "To compound the problem there are only a two dozen or so of us left on the ship, mostly non-commissioned officers and workers from Morgenroete."

Those words hit Murrue like a ton of bricks. Admittedly she _was_ a bridge officer of the _Archangel_ and well versed in the ship's systems but she had no real experience in captaining a ship, much less an undermanned ship that would be facing down an enemy of unknown size and strength.

Lieutenant La Flaga let out disheartened sigh. "Oh man. What a disaster," he muttered out loud. Then he turned to her. "Well in any case permission to come about a board Lieutenant Ramius?"

"Permission granted," Murrue replied, still trying to process what had happened.

The blonde haired man nodded and glanced over at the group of teenagers standing around the mobile suits. "And who are those two?" he asked, gesturing at the young pilots of the G-Weapons.

"The one who piloted the Strike is Kira Yamato and the Raven's pilot is my nephew, Christopher Dante," Johanna answered, stepping towards the three of them. "They both stumbled into the factory district when we were under attack. Thanks to their help we were able to defeat a pair of GINNs, drive off that CGUE and protect the last two machines."

"What? These two kids were able to defeat two GINNs?" Natarle exclaimed.

Had Murrue not been there she wouldn't have believed it either. Two teenagers with no formal training, no combat experience had managed to best two GINNs. Was it because they were Coordinators? Was the difference between the abilities of Naturals and Coordinators that great? Or was it the G-Units themselves?

La Flaga glanced at the Morgenroete crew chief. "And you are?"

"Johanna Dante of Morgenroete," she replied. "I'm probably only survive member of the crews that built these machines."

The lieutenant scratched his chin absentmindedly. "What happened to the pilots of the G-Units?"

"They were with the captain at the time of the attack and died as well," Natarle answered.

"You two are Coordinators aren't you?" La Flaga bluntly asked the pair.

The crew of the _Archangel_ collectively gasped as Murrue gritted her teeth. She knew this probably wasn't going to go over well. Most Coordinators were in ZAFT and they had just been attacked by ZAFT. Everyone was on edge and at least a little scared. This was the last thing they needed right now. "Yes," both teens answered.

No sooner had those words left their mouths than a group of the _Archangel's_ security officers leveled their weapons on the teenagers. "Lower your weapons now damn it!" Johanna shouted moving between the children and the soldiers. "They are Coordinators but they are not a part of ZAFT you trigger happy idiots! If they were a part of ZAFT they would have just taken the mobile suits and left!"

"Lower your rifles men," Murrue ordered. She—they owed these two teens a great deal. Were it not for them they likely would not have had any of G-Units. Besides they were still children.

Hesitantly the soldiers complied with her orders but many were still eyeing the teens suspiciously. "Lieutenant I would like an explanation," Natarle said respectfully but sternly.

"It's not that surprising considering that Heliopolis belongs to a neutral nation. So it would be natural to find Coordinators who wished to avoid the war altogether living here. Am I wrong?"

"No, you're right," Kira answered. "Especially since I'm a first-generation Coordinator."

"Which means your parents are Naturals," La Flaga commented. He turned to Chris. "What about you?"

"Lieutenant Ramius is right about me and my sister," Chris answered. "We're both second-generation Coordinators and we were born in the PLANTS. But our parents sent us out to Heliopolis to live with our aunt and uncle shortly before the war broke out."

"Then your parents are still living in the PLANTS?" Murrue asked.

Chris didn't answer right away, biting his lower lip for a moment. "No. They died early in the war."

"I'm sorry for causing such a fuss," the blonde pilot replied. "I was just curious, nothing more."

"So what do we do now sir?" Natarle asked.

Lieutenant La Flaga shrugged his shoulders. "Now? Well I've just been shot down and the Le Creuset Team is waiting outside for us. He's a persistent fellow that one, he'll be waiting for us. Especially after that defeat you two gave him."

"Wait a minute. Isn't Le Creuset a ZAFT ace? Are you saying that we beat a ZAFT ace?" Chris said aloud in disbelief.

The mobile armor piloted nodded in response.

"How did we manage that?"

"I'd have to say it was a little bit of skill and a lot of luck," La Flaga replied. "Unfortunately we can't count on that luck a second time around."

* * *

><p><span>The Gamow<span>

"D-Equipment? Does Commander Le Creuset plan on storming a fortress or something?" Yzak commented as the four ZAFT red coats watched from the observation deck as the GINNs were being loaded with heavy weapons.

"What's gonna happen to Heliopolis?" a concerned Nicol quietly asked.

"This could get so bad so fast," Saul commented. "A single misfire could cause massive damage to Heliopolis."

"It serves them right," Yzak shot back. "Calling themselves a neutral state. What a joke."

"Neutral or not this isn't military colony we're talking about here," Saul pointed out. "There are tons of people living there. Miguel and the others screw up and there could tons of people with home."

Yzak, Nicol and Dearka didn't say anything. Saul sighed as he leaned back. "This whole situation really sucks right now."

No one disagreed with him.

* * *

><p><span>The Bridge of the Archangel<span>

"We've loaded up the last of the surviving supplies from Morgenroete. Chief Murdoch is currently overseeing the resupplying of the Strike and the Raven as well as the repairs for your Moebius Zero," Johanna Dante reported. "The Strike and the Raven should both be combat ready in about ten to fifteen minutes though I can probably get the crews to speed things up. Moebius however won't be combat ready for quite some time."

"Thank you," Murrue said as she uneasily sat down in the captain's chair—her chair now.

She didn't like pressing civilians into serve like that but they were operating with a skeleton crew as it was. If the _Archangel _was to survive the inevitable fight out of Heliopolis they would need as many people in the crew as possible. At least with the Morgenroete crews they had a nearly full crew complement for their engineering and hanger sections.

"So what's our next move?" Johanna asked.

"Once the Strike and the Raven are resupplied we'll leave before anymore damage befalls Heliopolis." Murrue answered.

"So you're going rely on Chris and Kira then?"

"What?" Natarle interrupted. "You can't be serious about letting those kids pilot the mobile suits again. Shouldn't Lieutenant La Flaga pilot one those machines at least?"

"Have you taken a look at the operating systems for those machines?" La Flaga—Mu replied. "An ordinary human couldn't pilot those machines."

"And before you ask about having them change the OS of the G-Units back to their original format you should now that the original OS didn't work that well. And don't ask me to try to rewrite the OS for Naturals. That's not my field of expertise. I worked on the bodies of the machines not the programming," Johanna explained. "So like it or not we're gonna have to rely on them for protection, at least for the time being."

Murrue nodded her head. "I agree. Without Lieutenant La Flaga's mobile armor the Raven and the Strike are our only means of defense from ZAFT's mobile suits. They are the only ones that can pilot those machines are those two boys."

"But Lieutenant Ramius we can't just allow two civilians, much less two children to operate top secret military hardware," her XO argued.

"It's a long way to the moon and I highly doubt that we'll be able to get there without a fight," Mu pointed out. "Without those machines we're pretty much defenseless against mobile suits."

Natarle hesitated for a moment, wanting to follow regulations yet acknowledging that circumstances were beyond what anyone had intended. Ultimately she chose not to say anything.

"Well now that that's out of the way I'm going back to the hanger to see if I can get the crews to hurry up," Johanna said as she started to walk out of the bridge.

Murrue rose up from her chair. "I'll go talk to Kira and Chris about this," she said. "Lieutenant La Flaga the bridge is yours."

* * *

><p><span>Archangel Crew Quarters<span>

"No. I won't do it," Kira said immediately upon hearing what Lieutenant Ramius wanted from them.

Chris on the other hand wasn't sure what to do. He really didn't want to get involved in the war that had taken so much from him yet at the same time his sister, his aunt and his friends were all on board of this ship and he had the power to protect them.

"Please don't get us any more involved than you already have," Kira continued. "We know there is a war going on out there but we don't want any part of it. That's why we chose to live here in a neutral nation."

"I'll do it," Chris said, taking a step forward, earning looks of surprise from Kira and everyone else. "Now I don't want you to think that I'm calling you a coward Kira because I'm not. But as long as my friends and family are on this ship and I have the power to protect them, I will." He turned to Ramius and added, "But make no mistake, I will not fight offensively against ZAFT. I'll only fight to protect this ship and the people I care about on board."

"I understand. Thank you," Lieutenant Ramius said, a slight smile on her face. "I suppose one is better than none."

The moment she uttered those words a voice came on over the intercom. _"Lieutenant Ramius, report to the bridge at once."_

Ramius stepped over to a nearby comm panel and pushed down the call button. "What is it?" she asked.

_"There are mobile suits approaching. Get back up here and assume command. You're the captain. I may have seniority here but I don't know the first thing about this ship."_

Lieutenant Ramius closed her eyes for a second before replying. "Very well. Prepare the _Archangel_ for takeoff. Order all hands to level one battle stations. Is your mobile armor ready?"

_"No."_

Then Lieutenant La Flaga, please take charge of the CIC." Ramius turned around and added, "Chris, get to the hanger and into one of the mobile suits. You'll have to go out alone."

"Actually, Liz said as she stepped forward. "I could pilot the second machine."

Chris response to his sister was simple, "NO."

"But I'm a Coordinator. I can pilot the other mobile suit," his sister argued.

"I said no. I'll go out by myself," Chris said, shaking his head.

"That's suicide and you know it!" Liz exclaimed.

"I don't care! I'd prefer risking my own life rather than let you go out there with me!"

"Enough," Lieutenant Ramius said, ending their argument then and there. "If Kira does not want to pilot one of the mobile suits and you wish to pilot it than I'll allow you to pilot it."

"You can't be serious!" Chris shouted.

"We don't have any other choice," Ramius pointed out. "We're under attack by ZAFT. Any help we can get I'll take."

"You people aren't being fair!" Kira cried out in frustration, his fists clenched and shaking at his sides. "Fine I'll do it."

"Alright then. Let's go Kira," Chris said, turning towards the corridor. Kira nodded and the two of them took off for the hanger. "Thanks Kira for changing your mind. If you hadn't my sister really would have piloted the Strike and risked her life out there." He then added, more to himself than to Kira, "This war has taken too much from me already."

* * *

><p>Kira watched as the Raven was positioned in the port mobile suit catapult while he and the Strike stood ready in the starboard catapult as mechanical arms attached new weapons onto the mobile suit. Johanna's voice came over the radio. <em>"Alright Kira we're equipping the Strike with the Sword Striker so we won't have a repeat of last time. Hold on for a second."<em> She paused for a moment, listening to someone else_. "There's four mobile suits incoming. What? The Aegis? Okay, it the Aegis and three GINNs armed with...WHAT? Are they nuts?"_

_"What is it?"_ Chris asked.

_"The GINNs are armed with heavy weapons used for taking out heavily fortified bases. A single misfire could be disastrous for Heliopolis."_

Kira gasped in shock and horror. This was insane. How could ZAFT use those kinds of weapons inside of a civilian colony? Weren't they the least bit worried about the damage they could cause? Didn't they care about the homes that could be destroyed in the crossfire? The lives that could be lost?

_"Be careful and good luck,"_ Johanna said as the catapult doors opened.

The Raven's catapult hatch opened up first. _"Chris Dante. Raven taking off!"_ Chris shouted just before the catapult activated, launching the Raven from the ship.

Kira turned back to the Strike's console as it fully powered up. The main screen turned own, a message appearing on it.

_**MOBILE SUIT OPERATION SYSTEM**__  
><em>_**/Version NV8 - N099/**__  
><em>_**G**__eneral  
><em>_**U**__nilateral  
><em>_**N**__euro - Link_

_**D**__ispersive  
><em>_**A**__utonomic  
><em>_**M**__aneuver  
><em>_**G.U.N.D.A.M Synthesis System**_

_**O.M.N.I. Enforcer**_

"Gundam?" Kira read aloud as the Strike finished powering up.

Gripping the controls tightly, Kira stood as read as he'd ever be. "Kira Yamato. Strike Gundam launching."

The catapult activated, the force pushing him back into his seat as the Strike was launched into the air, joining the Raven which had transformed into a bird-like mobile armor. _"Hop on Kira. We need to get rid of these guys before Heliopolis takes anymore damage," _Chris called out.

"Right," Kira replied, landing the Strike landed on the back of the Raven. Together the two machines sped towards the four enemy mobile suits. Two of the GINNs were equipped with heavy missile launchers while a third was carrying a beam cannon. And alongside them was one of the stolen mobile suits, the one that had been in factory with the Strike and the Raven, the Aegis—the machine Athrun stole. Kira grimaced, hoping his old friend wasn't piloting that machine. He wanted to protect Heliopolis and his friends but he couldn't fight Athrun to do it.

The third GINN fired its beam cannon at them as they neared the group but Chris was faster, banking to the right, evading the beam. More beams streaked out for them as the GINN continued to fire while the missile-carrying GINNs broke off from the group and headed for the _Archangel_. _"Kira will you be able to fight these two by yourself while I deal with those two GINNs?" _Chris asked.

"Yeah I think so."

_"Then hop off and good luck."_

Kira leapt off the Raven, heading for the beam cannon GINN and the Aegis while the Raven turned around and chased after the GINNs. "You too," Kira said, dodging beams as he neared them.

* * *

><p>The GINNs were fast but the Raven in its Mobile Armor Mode was faster. One of the GINNs, seeing the Raven catching up to them turned around and fired a trio of missiles from its ankle mounted missile pods. Chris opened fire with the Raven's shoulder mounted guns at the missiles, destroying two of them and evaded the third.<p>

_'Not bad. But it's gonna take more than that to get rid of me,' _Chris thought with a bit of a smirk.

The other GINN fired two of its large missiles and some of its ankle mounted missiles at the _Archangel_. But the warship managed to performed evasive maneuvers as its point defenses opened fire, destroying the large missiles and dodging most of the smaller ones. However the missiles that missed the vessel hit Heliopolis, further damaging the already damaged colony. "Stop it!" Chris shouted as he transformed the Raven back into its Mobile Suit Mode and fired its cannon at the GINN.

The GINN dodged the twin shots and fired off the last two heavy missiles and its remaining smaller missiles at him before discarding the launchers and pulling out its holstered rifle and firing. Chris fired both the arm cannon and the Igelstellungs, desperately trying to destroy as many of missiles as he could before they hit him or Heliopolis. He managed to destroy one of large missiles and a couple of smaller ones. He aimed at the second large missile and was about to fire when the GINN fired upon him, throwing his aim off and missing the missile. The missile impacted the central shaft of Heliopolis, damaging it. "Are you trying to destroy Heliopolis?" he furiously yelled as he turned and fired at the GINN.

The GINN dodged the first two pairs of high-velocity rounds but the second shot of the third pair tore through its left leg but unlike the last one this one kept fighting rather than fleeing. Seeing no other option Chris aimed and fired one last shot. The twin rounds tore through the GINN's chest and a second later it exploded.

Chris barely registered fact that he had just killed someone. This wasn't the time to think about that. Heliopolis and the _Archangel_ were still in danger.

* * *

><p>Kira wasn't fairing all that well against the ZAFT pilot. The GINN was firing his cannon like a maniac, not caring whether he hitting the Strike or Heliopolis. Didn't he realize that he was destroying peoples' homes every time he missed? Kira had to stop him.<p>

The GINN's pilot, Miguel was growing angry. He just couldn't seem to destroy the Strike and its Natural pilot. Adding to this was the embarrassment of his previous battle and defeat at the hands of the Strike. Miguel wanted payback.

"Get behind it Athrun!" he shouted over the radio.

Suddenly the Aegis which had stayed out of the fight up to this point lunged at the Strike from behind. Kira barely managed to evade the Aegis but the second he did, Miguel fired at him again. Kira dodged the beam and struck back by throwing the Sword Striker's beam boomerang at him. The GINN dove over the boomerang and prepared to fire again. But Miguel didn't expect the boomerang to return, severing his machine's right leg from behind. Before he could retaliate Kira struck, driving his large sword through the chest of the GINN, cleaving it in two.

"AAAAAAAARGH!" Miguel screamed before his mobile suit exploded.

Kira turned to the Aegis, ready for anything. Kira wasn't sure who the pilot of the Aegis was. He had seen Athrun steal that machine but was he piloting the Aegis now?

_"Kira. Kira Yamato!"_ a voice came over the radio.

Kira gasped. He knew that voice. It was Athrun's voice. His oldest friend had been part of this latest attack on his home and was facing him in combat. He had been holding out the slim hope that Athrun wasn't involved in the ZAFT attack on Heliopolis entirely.

_"So it is you, isn't it, Kira?"_

* * *

><p>Chris chased after the remaining GINN who was harassing the <em>Archangel<em> at the moment. However before he could engage it the GINN was hit by one of the _Archangel's_ Gottfrieds, destroying the machine's waist and thighs. Just before it exploded the GINN fired off all of its missiles. The missiles flew wildly into the central shaft of Heliopolis. Fireballs engulfed the shaft broke in two, causing Heliopolis to start collapsing all around them.

"No..." Chris said as he watched his home for almost a year begin to crumble into dust.

Suddenly, the effects of the massive vacuum that was beginning created, violently pulled on the Raven. He struggled to control the mobile suit but it was pointless. There was nothing he could do but sit back and pray that he would survive.

* * *

><p>"Athrun… Athrun Zala?" Kira exclaimed. "Why...Why are you here?"<p>

_"You should talk!"_ Athrun shot back. _"What are you going in that thing?"_

Before Kira could answer parts of Heliopolis began to fall all around them. He looked around in horror as Heliopolis tore itself apart. A few seconds later both Kira and Athrun found themselves being violently pulled outside the colony. Kira screamed as he pulled into space. He heard Athrun shout out his name before the Aegis was pulled out in the different direction.

* * *

><p><span>The Gamow<span>

Saul, Nicol, Dearka and Yzak watched stunned silence as Heliopolis broke apart. "Heliopolis..." Nicol weakly uttered.

"Jeez... How the hell did Miguel and the others screw up so badly?" Dearka said.

"This is bad…very very bad," Saul said solemnly.

* * *

><p>Chris stared out at the debris field of what had been his home for a few days short of a year. But now it was gone, nothing more than dust floating in the void.<p>

_"X3...Ra...05 Str...res..."_ a static filled voice called over the radio.

A few seconds later it came back, this time at full strength. _"X305 Raven, X105 Strike, please respond."_

"This is the Raven," Chris called over the radio. "Is that you Archangel?"

_"Affirmative Raven,"_ the voice of Ensign Badgiruel answered. _"What's your status?"_

"Shaken but I'm okay."

_"Can you see the Strike?"_

Chris took a quick look around. He spotted the _Archangel_ in the distance but couldn't see the Strike. "No, I can't see him."

_"Very well then. Return to the ship."_

"On my way."

He started to make his way back to the ship as Ensign Badgiruel continued to call the Strike. A few seconds later Kira responded, _"Strike here. I'm fine."_

_"Do you have the ship's position?"_ Badgiruel asked.

_"Yeah,"_ Kira replied.

_"Then return to the ship."_

_"Right."_

Meanwhile Chris had made it about a third of the way to the Archangel when spotted a blinking light. It drew his attention and on a closer inspection he discovered that it was a damaged Heliopolis lifeboat. From the look of things the lifeboat had been launched successfully but must have sustained damage shortly after that. Its engines had been damaged and rendered inoperable. It wouldn't be able to clear the newly formed debris field meaning that their chances of recovered safely in time were greatly diminished unless he did something about it. "_Archangel_. I've found a damaged lifeboat out here. I'm bringing it in," he called over the radio.

_"What? Who gave you authorization to do that?" _Badgiruel said.

Chris just rolled his eyes. He wasn't about to leave these people out where they could die. "I'm bringing this lifeboat in," he replied.

_"You can't just bring in a civilian lifeboat without proper authorization."_

Chris shook his head and pushed some of the buttons next to the radio, filling the channel with static. "What was that _Archangel_? You're breaking up. I didn't get that last transmission. You can tell me when I come aboard with the lifeboat."

With that he turned off the radio, picked up the lifeboat and headed towards the _Archangel_.

* * *

><p>And done. Once again, not much has changed and to clarify the major changes from the original version won't begin to occur until they reach Earth.<p> 


	4. Phase 4: Phase Shift Down

Yo everybody! Since today's my birthday I thought I'd give my fans a gift, a pair of chapters for my most popular story. Would have had more but a combination of the changes I'm making and real life slowed me down.

Anyway enjoy!

Phase Four: Phase Shift Down

January 25 C.E. 71

The Archangel

With a tired sigh Chris laid back on one of the bunks while Kira and the others talked amongst themselves about what had happened. If he wasn't so exhausted from the fighting he probably would have joined them. Right now all he wanted to do was sleep. He closed his eyes only to see the image of a GINN exploding, the GINN he destroyed. Letting out a quiet groan he rolled over. Maybe he'd wake up and find this had all been a bad dream.

But then as if to prove him wrong the ground—the ship shifted to the side for a minute before leveling off again. "What was that?" Flay Alster asked, nervously looking back and forth.

Flay Alster, one of the people that had been in that lifeboat he had rescued. Chris wasn't all that crazy about her. Sure he found her physically attractive but her personality irritated him. Stuck up people did that to him. If she wasn't so struck up and wasn't arranged to marry Sai he probably would have asked her out at some point. "I think we're on the move," he commented resting his arms over his eyes. "Where we're going I don't know. And keep it down I'm trying to sleep."

As if on cue Lieutenant Mu La Flaga appeared in the entrance to the bunks. "Ah Kira, Chris there you are," he said. "Both Murdoch and Johanna asked me to tell both of you that because we're so understaffed you two are responsible for maintaining your machines."

"Our machines?" Kira incredulously asked. "When did they become our machines?"

Chris rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance. It seemed as though sleep was going to elude him. "I have to agree with Kira. Don't these machines belong to either Morgenroete or the Earth Forces?" he added with a grumble as he sat up.

The lieutenant shrugged. "Technically you're right. But for the moment it's been decided that since you're the only ones who can use'em they're you machines."

"Sure we piloted those machines twice but we're not soldiers," Kira argued.

"So the next time they attack and you refuse to pilot it those will be your last words huh?" the officer replied, crossing his arms.

Chris sighed and shook his head. "Ah hell… As much as I hate to admit it he's right. We're stuck here on warship being pursued by ZAFT who want to sink it. If we don't fight the ship and all of us are finished. Out of the frying pan and into the fire."

The officer nodded his head. "That about sums up our situation," he replied. "But there's something else you two should consider. Both of you have the power to make a difference. Why not put it to good use? We have very little time including time to think it over."

"Excuse me sir," Sai asked rising up to his feet. "But where are we going?"

"To the nearby Eurasian military base, Artemis. Of course we're likely to have some problems actually getting in," the lieutenant answered before he left.

Chris absently scratched the back of his head. This whole day had been getting progressively worse and worse, if it was still actually today. His phone had broken sometime during all the fighting and he wasn't sure of the time anymore. It could be the twenty-sixth already and he wouldn't know it. Not like it mattered anyway. Something told him that he wouldn't be getting any sleep no matter how hard he tried. "Well Kira should we go down to the hanger?"

"This isn't...I..." Kira weakly mumbled out before he suddenly ran off.

"Kira!" Tolle and Miri called out stunned like everyone else.

All things considering it wasn't all that surprising that he had run off. While he hadn't admitted it out loud Chris was still shaken over what had happened back in Heliopolis. And it wasn't just that he had lost his home or his uncle that was weighting down on him. Back there he had killed the pilot of that GINN, he had _killed_ someone. Yes he had been defending himself, his home and the people he cared about but that didn't change that he had taken a life. "I'll go talk to him," he said standing up.

"Hold on minute," Flay said, her voice filled with confusion. "You mean that you and Kira were piloting those mobile suits?"

"Yes," Sai replied. "You know how one of the mobile suits brought lifeboat you were on. Well the pilot of that mobile suit was Chris."

Flay turned to Chris "You? You were the one?"

The teen shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Yeah."

"But why would the two of you be piloting mobile suits?" she asked.

"Well my sister, Kira and I are Coordinators," he answered matter of factly.

With that he turned and headed after Kira.

* * *

><p>Liz watched her brother walk away. Ever since their parents had died he had become bitter towards people who discriminated again Coordinators or Naturals, or in the case of Blue Cosmos, utterly hated. Of course things had been different for the first month and a half after their parents died in a Blue Cosmos terrorist attack. During that time he became angry at just about everyone and everything. He picked fights with just about anyone. Sometimes he won. Other times he didn't. She had been afraid that they'd find him dead in an alley before long. Then about a month and a half after their parents died their grandfather paid them a visit from Orb. His second night there he took Chris out for a couple of hours. What was said and done was known only to those two but when they returned both were beaten up although Chris was unconscious and in worse condition. After that Chris had begun to change. His anger at the world faded away. He stopped going out and picking fights with people. He still got into fights but now he only fought to protect himself and others.<p>

Seeing the uncertainly in Flay's eyes, Liz spoke up, "My brother, Kira and myself may be Coordinators but we aren't with ZAFT."

"Kira and Chris are both still one of us, treasured friends," Miri added.

* * *

><p><span>The Archangel's Hanger<span>

Kira floated before the Strike Lt. La Flaga's and Chris's words echoing through his mind. He wasn't a soldier, he didn't want to fight. And there was Athrun… The teen shook his head in despair. How could he fight against a dear friend? "Just because I can pilot a mobile suit, doesn't mean that I'm a soldier." He quietly said to himself.

"Of course it doesn't. Why would that make you a soldier?"

Kira turned to the source of the voice. It was Chris. "Neither of us aren't soldiers," he glided along the catwalk. "And I don't like this anymore than you do Kira."

Chris came to a stop a few feet from him, a hand on the railing. "I killed someone today Kira," he quietly continued, unable to look him in the eye. "I lost my home, my uncle and who knows who else but since I've gotten out of the cockpit I haven't been able to think about much else other than that pilot."

Kira gritted his teeth, remembering the GINN he destroyed as well. How…how could this have happened? They were teenagers, students in a neutral nation! Yet they had fought in mobile suits, killed people and were now being asked to do more of that. "This isn't right," he snapped, frustrated at everything. "We don't belong here."

"Of course not but it doesn't change things. Like it or not the two of us are about the only ones able to protect this ship and everyone on board including our friends." Chris paused and shook his head. "I don't want to kill anyone else but if I don't fight it's likely that this ship will destroyed, taking us all of us with it."

Suddenly alarms went off throughout the hanger. _"Silhouette detected. Enemy unit detected,"_ a voice over the ship's intercom said. _"All military personnel report to your stations at once. Repeat..."_

"Well come on you two!" Johanna Dante called out to them from another catwalk. "We need to get you two into some flight suits!"

Chris let out a sigh and pushed off the railing heading after his aunt but Kira found himself hesitating. They were going to be fighting again yet all he could think about was Athrun. How could he fight his best friend? How could he be expected to _kill_ his best friend?

* * *

><p>"Looks like we're heading into another battle," Sai commented as the alarms sounded.<p>

"I wonder what Kira has decided," Miri said worried about their friends.

"If he refuses our chances of surviving drop considerably," Sai grimly said.

"Hey! My brother will protect us even if Kira doesn't!" Liz angrily retorted.

"I didn't mean it like," Sai said, raising his hands in defense. "I meant that the odds of our survival are greater if both Chris and Kira are fighting."

Miri intertwined her fingers a quiet contemplative look on her face. "We should do something too." Everyone looked at her confused by her words. "We've been sitting on the sidelines and relying Kira and Chris to protect us."

For a moment no one said anything until her boyfriend grinned and nodded, remembering the Lieutenant's words. "If we have the ability to make a difference then we should put it to use."

Liz, Sai and Kuzzey all nodded in agreement and stood up.

* * *

><p>Neither of them said anything as they put on the flight suits they had been given. As Kira zipped up his light blue suit he couldn't help but think back to what had just happened moments before they reached the locker room, Tolle, Sai, Miri, Kuzzey and Liz all in Earth Alliance uniforms. They had all volunteered to help out aboard the ship until they'd be able to disembark. It surprised him that they had but it wasn't like they were in anymore danger by doing so. Pulling the zip all the way up to the top he turned to his friend. Chris was adjusting the collar of his midnight blue suit nervously chewing on his bottom lip. "Hey Chris."<p>

"Yeah?"

"Are you scared?"

Chris nodded. "Terrified. You?"

"Yeah."

Before either of them could say anything else Lieutenant La Flaga entered the room clad in his own purple flight suit with his helmet tucked under his arm. "Well from the looks of things you've made up your mind Kira," he commented, sizing the two of them up.

"Yes," Kira admitted. "Like you said the three of us are the only ones that can protect this ship and everyone on board. Don't get the wrong idea I'm not a soldier and certainly don't want to fight. All I want to do is protect the people on board this ship."

"It's the same for all of us," the blond officer said. "You won't find many people who fight merely for the sake of fighting. We fight because it's the only way to protect ourselves and what we care about."

"So what's the plan?" Chris asked.

* * *

><p><span>Aboard the Gamow<span>

Saul Kessel sat in the cockpit of the Surge, a finger absently tapping on the chair arm waiting for the order to launch. He had to admit he was excited to try out the Surge in actual combat. From what he had studied of the machine and all of its capabilities the Surge was easily the fastest of all the prototype mobile suits. Hell chances are it was the fastest mobile suit ever made. Half of ZAFT's pilots would beg to get inside this machine's cockpit and the other half would sell everything they owned to. Knowing Miguel he'd probably trade his left nut to pilot one of these prototypes.

He winced immediately as that thought entered his mind. They had received Athrun's report on what happened in Heliopolis twenty minutes after the colony collapsed. Miguel, Mattew and Olor had killed during the battle against the Earth Alliance warship and the two remaining mobile suits. Admittedly he known them for all that long but they had been decent guys and even better pilots. For them to have died against the prototypes meant that either these machines were far better than he had thought or the pilots were skilled aces. Either way they'd have to be careful.

_"Mobile suit pilots prepare for launch,"_ the _Gamow's_ combat operator announced.

He was up first. Saul moved the Surge onto the catapult as it opened. The green take off light lit up. "Saul Kessel. Surge takin' off."

The catapult activated, the g-forces pushing him back into his seat as the Surge was launched into space. _'Time to try this baby out.'_

* * *

><p><span>The Archangel's Hanger<span>

Chris sat in the cockpit of the Raven, his foot nervously tapping as he waited for the order to launch. Lieutenant La Flaga had taken off a few minutes ago and soon he and Kira would do the same. He closed his eyes for a moment trying to mentally prepare himself for the coming battle. The other battles had come so quickly he hadn't had time to sit and think about it.

_"Load the Aile Striker onto the Strike,"_ his aunt's voice called out over the radio.

_'Hmm...Aile Striker. That's a new one.'_

_"Kira, Chris,"_ Miriallia said over the radio as her face appeared on one of screens on the console.

"Miriallia?" Kira replied.

_"From now on I will be acting as the combat operator for the mobile suits and the mobile armor," _Miri explained, a grin spreading across her face. _"I'm counting on you two."_

Chris couldn't help but smile back feeling better about things. "Don't worry Miri. We're not gonna let anything happen to the ship."

Before anything else could be said the ship shuddered slightly as the Lohengrins fired blindly at the Nazca-class ahead of them. That had been according to the plan to scatter any surprises ahead of them and to mask the lieutenant's run. The catapult door opened up before him just as the other was opening for Kira.

"Kira Yamato. Strike Gundam launching," Kira said before he took off.

_'Gundam? Interesting name, taking the first letters of each word in the name of the OS. Wish I had thought of that.'_

"Chris Dante. Raven Gundam taking off."

The catapult activated propelling the mobile suit forward and into space while it pushed him back into his seat. In the span of a second he had cleared the ship, igniting the Raven's thrusters. Before his eyes the black vastness of space stretched out. If the situation wasn't so severe it would have been beautiful.

_"There's five mobile suits incoming_," Ensign Badgiruel called out._ "One from the front and four from the rear. It's the Aegis, the Blitz, the Surge, the Duel and the Buster."_

"Okay Kira remember what the lieutenant said, stay near the _Archangel_," Chris recited, tightening his grip on the controls. He wasn't sure he was trying to remind Kira or trying to calm his own nerves. "That way they can provide us with some support."

* * *

><p>The Surge, the Blitz, the Duel and the Buster streaked through space heading for their target, the Alliance warship and the two G-Units that remained in their control. From within the Surge's cockpit Saul watched the readouts on the screens. Athrun was closing in on the enemy mobile suits. He'd get there at least several minutes before the rest of them. Two against one wasn't good odds even for a Red Coat like Athrun. But two against two was a whole different story. "Looks like Athrun's gonna beat us there. Hey Yzak."<p>

"What?" his white haired teammate grunted.

"Athrun's gonna be by himself for awhile against those two machines waiting for us to get there. I'm going ahead to help him."

"What are you talking about? You can't get there any faster than the rest of us."

A smirk spread across Saul's face. "Do you know why my machine is called the Surge?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Let me show you," the young pilot replied before hitting the throttle to max.

The Surge's thrusters kicked in causing the mobile suit to literally surge forward through space towards the enemy while the g-forces were pushing Saul back into his seat. A grin spread across his lips and he barely resisted the urge to laugh. _'Wow! I knew this thing was fast but...wow!'_

* * *

><p>Athrun gritted his teeth as he approached the two Alliance mobile suits. The Raven fired its railguns at him but it wasn't anything he couldn't dodge. However the Strike wasn't firing at all confirming what he already knew, Kira was piloting it. He ignited the Aegis's right arm mounted beam saber and raced towards the Raven. If he was going to get Kira out of this mess he needed to deal with the Raven first.<p>

He lunged at the Raven swinging his saber in a wide horizontal arc. Just barely the Raven's pilot managed to pull back before he could hit them. But Athrun didn't let up rapidly slashing and swiping at the mobile suit. The Raven barely managed to stay out of his reach but his movements were frantic and sloppy. This pilot was obviously green not that Athrun was going to go easy on them because of it. He thrust his saber arm forward, watching as the enemy banked right. The second it did Athrun slammed his shield into it throwing the Raven spiraling backwards and open for a killing blow. Roaring he pounced on the machine only to stop mid leap, pulling back as several beam shots sailed through the spot he would have been. He spun around to the source of the shots, the Strike—Kira stood there with his rifle trained on him.

For what seemed like an eternity neither of them moved, both unsure of what to do at that moment. Yet as quickly as it came it ended with the Raven righting itself and firing its railguns at him. Just barely Athrun managed to get his shield up in time. The rounds impacted the shield protecting him but dislodging it from the Aegis's grasp. Athrun drew his rifle and returned the fire. The mobile suit dove left firing back as he evaded but its shots were wild and missed completely. Copying the maneuver Athrun kept on firing, drawing a closer and closer bead on the Raven when suddenly it was struck from behind. The mobile suit tumbled forward, squeezing a blind shot.

Behind the Raven the Surge was retracting its Hakenfaust claw. "Athrun I got this one you get the Strike," Saul called out as he raced for the enemy machine.

"Right," Athrun quietly replied turning back to the Strike. Switching back from his rifle to his saber and took off for Kira buzzing close to him without touching him. Kira spun around drew his own saber defensively. Yet again neither of them were ready to attack the other. "Kira!" he called out hoping to reason with his friend.

"Athrun…" Kira grimly answered.

"Please Kira! Put away your sword!" Athrun pleaded, desperate to avoid fighting his friend. "We are not enemies! Why do we have to fight each other?!"

"Athrun," Kira started.

But Athrun didn't let him say anything else. "You're a Coordinator just like us," he continued. "Why would you want to fight against your own kind? What are you doing with the Earth Forces?! Why are you siding with the Naturals?!"

"I am not part of the Earth Forces," his old friend answered, his tone quiet but resolute. "But people I know are on that ship. They're all good friends of mine." Kira paused for a few seconds before continuing, his voice picking up in intensity, "Besides what are you doing with ZAFT? Why'd you get involved in the war in the first place? You use to tell me that you hated the whole idea of war. So why did you attack Heliopolis?"

Athrun gritted his teeth in anger and guilt as the collapse of colony replayed in his mind. None of them had wanted to destroy the colony, it had been an accident! If those machines hadn't been there none of this would have happened. "Because that's where the Naturals built these things! They turned it into a target!" he snapped.

"Heliopolis was neutral!" Kira shot back, just as angry as him. "And so am I! But you…you-"

Suddenly a barrage of beams streaked for the Strike but Kira was able to block the first couple with a shield before flying out of the way of the rest as the Duel closed in on the pair. "Why aren't you fighting Athrun?!" Yzak snapped as he continued to fire after the Strike.

Athrun said nothing, knowing that his chance to save his friend had passed for the time being but he wouldn't rest until he saved Kira from himself and the Earth Forces.

* * *

><p>Chris tightly gripped the controls as he struggled to evade the shots of the Surge and the Blitz while returning fire as best he could. This wasn't the kind of fight he wanted to get into. There was no question that the ZAFT pilots were better and more experienced than him. One on one he had a chance, two on one it was only a question of how long he'd last. Worse he knew that there wasn't help coming for him. Kira was up against both the Duel and the Aegis while the <em>Archangel<em> was taking a pounding from the Buster.

_"Strike, Raven where are you? We need assistance!"_ Ensign Badgiruel called out as he ducked under a trio of beams.

"Little busy right now," Chris replied through gritted teeth as fired and missed again.

He didn't know how much longer he was gonna last. The ZAFT pilots were just too good and their machines were the same as his. Both the Blitz and the Surge fired their claw weapons at him. Chris dove to avoid them and fired a few more rounds from his railguns at them. A warning beep sounded through the cockpit as finger released the trigger. It was his ammo indicator. He had only dozen rounds left which meant six shots and he was out. "Damn. Gonna have to be careful now," he muttered to himself. "I can only fire when I'm absolutely certain I'll hit something."

The Blitz lunged at him with its beam sword. Somehow Chris managed to sidestep the enemy's downward swing and slammed the Raven's right arm down on the Blitz's head. The machine shook and staggered back from the blow. Yet almost instantly the Surge attacked with its solid swords, the blades striking the Raven's torso. The impact of the swords knocked him back but didn't penetrate the armor. Chris winced as he righted himself. If it weren't for the phase shift armor he'd be a goner right now.

However he had no time to retaliate as a text message from the _Archangel _appeared on his display.

_Preparing to fire Lohengrins. Watch out._

A grin spread across Chris's lips. The Lieutenant had succeeded in his part of the plan. In the corner of his eye he saw the_ Archangel's_ Lohengrin cannons emerged and charge up. The sight of the sight of the unfolding weapons stopped the Surge and the Blitz, unsure as to what was about to happen. They could only watch on as two massive streaks of energy erupted from the cannons and streaked towards the coordinates of the Nazca-class. With any luck the ZAFT warship ahead of them was out of the picture. Hopefully that would scare the rest of them off.

* * *

><p>The Duel lunged at the Strike, its shield raised and a beam saber drawn. But Kira had his own saber and shield ready. They clashed, energy blade meeting shield but neither scoring a direct hit against the other. After a few seconds they pushed back only to attack again with the same result. Kira gritted his teeth in frustration and a growing panic. The Duel's pilot was good, really good especially up close. Maybe if he could get some distance from the Duel he could get an opening. The Duel charged at him again but this time before it could reach him he threw shield. It was too close for the Duel to anything in time to counter and the shield struck it head on. As quick as he could Kira swapped his saber for his rifle and fired but as quick as he was the Duel's pilot was faster, knocking his forward while bring their own shield to bear. His beams harmlessly struck the two shields as the Duel grabbed its rifle. The two of them trades shots back and forth but they weren't alone. Athrun joined in firing with the Duel at him. Diving and dodging the shots Kira squeezed the trigger… only to have nothing come out of the rifle. Alarms sounded through the cockpit as the power meter dropped into the danger zone and the Strike's phase-shift armor deactivated leaving him completely defenseless. "No! I'm out of power!" Kira exclaimed.<p>

Seeing the Strike helpless the Duel raised its rifle and aimed at him. Kira did the only thing he could, he ran. He needed to get of there, to withdraw to the Archangel. But without power for the Aile Striker's thrusters he didn't have the speed to outrun them, they all knew it. Terror and panic gripped his heart as the horrible realization came to him that he was going to die and there was nothing he could do.

"Hold on Kira!" Chris yelled out as the Raven in its mobile armor form raced towards him as fast he could.

At the same time the Aegis also transformed and sped towards him. It became a race to see who would get there first Chris, Athrun or the Duel. The Duel squeezed off a burst just as the Aegis and the Raven neared the Strike. Neither pilot backed off the claws of their mobile suits reaching the Strike. The Aegis's limbs started to wrap around him but the Raven was quicker its talons clamping down on the Strike's shoulders. Their momentum threw them into the Aegis knocking them all back out of the path of the beams. "You alright Kira?" Chris asked as they took off.

He had banged his arm on something in the tumble but aside from the bruise that was forming Kira was fine. "Yeah I'm good."

"Good. Hold on tight I'm getting you out of here," his friend replied, turning them towards the _Archangel_.

No sooner had those words left his mouth then the Duel appeared in their path aiming high at the Raven. Chris instantly opened fire with his railguns and machineguns as they raced even faster forward. The rounds struck the Duel knocking it back a bit and throwing off their aim. By the time it had a bead on them again they were right on top of them. The pilot instinctively dove out of their way before they could hit them. But they weren't out of the woods yet. Both the Blitz and the Surge fired at them but Chris managed to just barely evade their shots. And behind them was Athrun in the Aegis drawing closer and closer to them._'_

"_Archangel_!" Chris called out, the desperation loud and clear in his voice. "The Strike's out of power and I don't have much power left either so if you've got something up your sleeve now's the time!"

Kira couldn't help but wince. If the Raven ran out of power now they were done for.

* * *

><p>Athrun stared at the Strike and the Raven unsure of what to do. The soldier in him was saying to fire at the Raven but if he did that the Strike would be caught in the explosion. And without it's phase-shift armor the Strike would likely be heavily damaged if it survived at all. If he fired at the Raven Kira would likely...<p>

"Athrun! What are you waiting for? Shoot them down!" Yzak shouted.

His thumb hovered over the trigger of the Aegis's Scylla cannon but he couldn't do it, he couldn't fire if it was going to kill Kira too. If it was just the Raven he could but not Kira.

"Dammit! I'll do it myself!" Yzak roared impatience, aiming his rifle at the two mobile suits.

_'No! Kira...'_

Yzak was about to fire when suddenly there was a loud "YEEHAW!" over the comms followed by a barrage of bullets that struck the Duel. Most missed but a few hit their mark stunning Yzak. Everyone looked up at the source of the unexpected attacker. It was a Moebius Zero strafing down on the Duel.

* * *

><p>Sweat dripping down his forehead Chris gritted his teeth in frustration and desperation as his eyes remained locked on his screens, one watching his ever decreasing power level the other enemy mobile suits taking potshots at him. He dove, ducked and weaved as best he could but weighted down by Kira and the Strike his maneuvering options were limited. Yet by some small miracle they hadn't managed to hit them. But it was only a matter of time before they did. He couldn't outrun them with the Strike but he could get to the <em>Archangel<em> before they reached them they'd have a chance. A warning alarm sounded in his cockpit. Chris bit back a curse, it was a target lock! The Duel was going to shoot him down!

_"YEEHAW!"_

He could only watch in silent but relieved disbelief as the Lieutenant's mobile armor buzzed the Duel startling the ZAFT pilot and disengaging the target lock. Chris let go of the breath he wasn't even aware he was holding as the Duel and the Aegis turned their attention to the attacking Moebius Zero. "Get the Strike lined up with the _Archangel_ so they can launch the Launcher Striker. I'll cover you," La Flaga ordered as he nimbly danced around the enemy machines and their fire.

Chris nodded his head, catching the approaching Surge and Blitz on his screens. They had been further away than the Aegis and the Duel but they were gaining fast. "Right. Thanks."

"Don't mention it kid. Now get going."

He didn't need to be told twice, pushing the Raven's engines to the max draining most of the remaining battery power he had in the process but managing to bring both of them to the ship. One of the _Archangel's_ catapults started to open up. Chris turned the Raven around lining both up both machines with the catapult. "End of the line Kira," Chris said as he released the Raven's grip on the Strike and flew away.

Kira immediately ejected the Aile Striker from the back of the Strike, letting it drift away. "Thanks Chris."

The Launcher Striker launched from the _Archangel_ flying towards the Strike. With a surprising degree of precision the Launcher Striker was attached to the back of the Strike and as soon as it was secured its phase shift armor was reactivated, its battery boosted by that of the Striker pack. Kira quickly drew the Agni cannon and started firing at the enemy mobile suits.

Saul grimly watched as the recharged Strike fired at them. They had been so close to getting them both only for it to all fall part on them. First the _Vesalius_ had been hit and now the Strike was back at full power. Everyone managed to dodge the shots save for Yzak who was a little too close and too slow, losing the right arm of his machine in a blast.

"Dammit!" Yzak cursed as flew back, the Duel's severed arm sparking.

Dearka had pulled back from the enemy ship and regrouped with the four of them.

"Yzak. We need to retreat," Athrun bitterly announced.

"WHAT?" Yzak screamed back in frustration.

"The _Vesalius_ has been damaged and we're starting to run low on power."

"I agree with Athrun," Nicol added. "If we don't fall back soon it will be our turn to run out of power."

Saul nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah," he said taking a quick glance at his power levels. "I'm running on fumes as it is. We should fall back."

Without another word the four of them took off for the _Gamow _leaving the Duel behind. Yzak let out a loud frustrated snarl but withdrew with them a moment later.

Chris breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the five enemy mobile suits retreat. They had won. Yet he found himself wondering just how much longer those guys were going to be chasing them. Deep down something told him that they weren't going away any time soon.

* * *

><p>And done. I'll have the next chapter post later tonight.<p> 


	5. Phase 5: Vanishing Gundam

And here's part two.

Phase Five: Vanishing Gundam

January 25 C.E. 71

The Gamow

"Dammit!" Yzak shouted slamming his helmet down on the floor. "There was five of us and only two of them! And we still lost!"

Saul shook his head and turned away as Yzak continued to rant and rave about their defeat. He really needed to learn some anger management. Yzak grabbed Athrun and slammed him into the lockers on the wall. "And what the hell was that stunt?! You had a clear shot! You could have destroyed them both! Why didn't you?!"

Saul had to admit that puzzled him as well. Athrun had a fairly large window of opportunity to fire upon and destroy both machines in a single blow but he didn't even try to shoot them. Why? It didn't make sense. Was he trying to capture all of the machines?

"That's enough Yzak!" Nicol shouted rushing to the pair. "The enemy's out there! Not in here!"

Yzak let go of Athrun with a grumble still pissed off at what had happened. "It's because of this coward that we!"

With that the white haired teen stormed off, Dearka following close behind. Saul shook his head. "What a prissy asshole," he muttered. "He's just ticked off that he was the only one to take any real damage."

* * *

><p><span>Artemis Base<span>

"Well it seems that you are indeed Lieutenants Murrue Ramius, Mu La Flaga and Ensign Natarle Badgiruel," the portly commander said turning from his computer to face the three Alliance officers. "I am Gerard Garcia, Commander of Artemis Base."

Murrue silently nodded her head, seething with anger at this man. No sooner had they docked in Artemis than they had locked the _Archangel_ down and forced the crew and civilian passengers into their quarters and the mess hall effectively arresting them while La Flaga, Ensign Badgiruel and herself had been taken under armed guard to the base commander. Admittedly the _Archangel_ was a secret Atlantic Federation warship and was largely unknown even in their own ranks much less those of the Eurasian Federation so she could understand them taking some precautions but this was too much.

She was about to speak up when Garcia interrupted, "Sorry about that but we couldn't be too careful now. After all you were an unidentified ship being followed by two ZAFT warships but now since that has been cleared up I welcome you to Artemis Base for however long you wish to stay."

But Murrue was not happy and she certainly didn't trust this man after how they had been treated. "Thank you Commander." she said with forced politeness. "But all we need is supplies and we'll be on our way."

Garcia leaned back in his chair, a smug look on his round face. "I'm afraid that's out of the question. Although the damaged Nazca-class has withdrawn the Laurasia-class is still out there on the edge of our sensors," he said typing a command into the computer.

The large screen behind Garcia's desk switched from an image of green roaming hills to a small region outside Artemis centered on a Laurasia-class warship. A grimace spread across Murrue's features as she stared at the screen. There was no doubt in her mind or any else for that matter that this was same Laurasia-class that had been chasing them with the Nazca-class they had damaged in the last battle. They just couldn't win it seemed.

"As you can see you've attracted a lot of attention."

"All the more reason for us to be resupplied as quickly as possible," Murrue replied.

A smirk formed across Garcia's lips. "But even if you are supplied you'll be under attack as soon as you leave."

"They're persistent," Lieutenant La Flaga explained. "They won't give up their hunt for us that easily. The sooner we can leave the less likely Artemis will be damaged."

The portly base commander let out a loud, arrogant laugh. "Damaged? Nothing can get through our barrier," he replied. "As long as you're all here you're all perfectly safe. They can't get close to us without us detecting them and nothing can get through our Umbrella. They'll eventually get tired of waiting and leave. It happens all the time."

"But-"

Garcia raised his hand, silencing the Lieutenant. "In any case, I suggest that you get some R&R," Garcia said completely ignoring La Flaga. "You appear to be exhausted. I'll have some rooms prepared for you."

With that Garcia pushed the call button on his desk and a pair of guards entered the room. He hadn't said it but they all knew. The entire crew and passengers of the _Archangel_ were prisoners, prisoners of their own allies.

* * *

><p><span>January 26 C.E. 71<span>

The Gamow

The Le Creuset Team and Captain Zellman hovered around the display table in the rear of the bridge its screen showing a read out of the Artemis Base and its Umbrella shield. "The Umbrella of Artemis is a lightwave barrier that blocks any and all incoming attacks but it also blocks their attacks as well," the captain explained.

"So basically we can't do anything and they can't do anything," Dearka commented, crossing his arms over his chest. "What a useless weapon."

"Perhaps but as a purely defensive weapon its formidable," the older officer replied. "Added to this is the strategic unimportance of the Artemis Base. Because of its unimportance no one has come up with a means to break the shield."

"I can see why," Saul said absently scratching his chin. "I doubt anything short of a nuclear explosion could get through that barrier."

"Okay. So what's the plan? Wait for them to come out?" Dearka asked, chuckling a little.

"Quit joking around Dearka," Yzak grunted. "What will the Commander say when he gets back and we haven't finished this off? Do you want to be the one to tell him that we sat around and did nothing?"

The Commander, Athrun and the _Vesalius _had been recalled back to HQ to report on the situation and everything that had happened at Heliopolis. Of course even if they hadn't been called back the ship had been damaged in the last sortie against the legged ship they would have had to leave for drydock and repairs anyway. Though at least then Athrun and the Commander would have transferred over first.

Saul shook his head. "And just what exactly are we supposed to do? The only time they turn the Umbrella off is when we're out of their sensor range. But the second we try to move on them they'll raise it back up again."

"Not necessarily," Nicol said speaking up for the first time. While it was true that if they detected a ship or a mobile suit approaching they would active the Umbrella but if they didn't detect anything they would shut the shield down. "There's an interesting feature on my Blitz that would get us through the Umbrella."

* * *

><p><span>The Archangel<span>

Completely bored out of his mind Chris absently tapped his fingers on the table. He was getting annoyed at this whole situation. After desperately fighting off ZAFT and reaching the safety of an Alliance outpost they had been the ship had been boarded by armed soldiers and they had been all arrested. Of course the soldiers hadn't said they were under arrest but being confined under guard to quarters and the mess hall was about the same as being thrown into a cell. It was a joke! The _Archangel_ was an Atlantic Federation vessel, they were allies with Eurasia! So why were they all being treated like this?!

All around him people were in a similar state. Whether they were sitting at a table, leaning against a wall or pacing back and forth the crew looked anxious, annoyed and even angry. The civilians—the people from the lifeboat and Morgenroete wore the same looks. And there were murmurs, mumbles and half-whispers among them all, even the others were talking. Sai with Flay latched onto his side was deep in conversation Tolle and Miri while Kuzzey was nervously chewing his bottom lip and wringing his hands together. Kira despite sitting at the center of the table was as quiet and stone-faced. Not that he could blame him. Things had been… intense, especially that last battle. Frankly he wasn't sure if their survival had been the biggest bit of luck or a small miracle. Not that he was complaining.

At that moment the mess hall doors opened and a fat toad of a man squeezed into an officer's uniform entered accompanied by a group of armed soldiers. "I am Commander Gerard Garcia," the officer said. "Who are the pilots of the mobile suits in the hanger?"

"What? You mean the captain didn't tell you?" one of the bridge officers replied, Chris didn't know his name. "Or do you just not have the clearance to know?"

One of the soldiers punched the man. Chris tensed, gritting his teeth at the sight. His feelings for the Atlantic Federation aside he didn't like seeing people getting beaten up when they didn't deserve it. Beyond that this man had said it to protect the two of them. "Who are the pilots?" Garcia demanded.

Chris glanced at Kira who looked ready to stand up and admit to being one of the pilots. Lucky Murdoch was pushing down on his shoulders, keeping him in place. He was being an idiot, a noble one but an idiot none the less. Couldn't he see that the crew was trying to protect them?

"Isn't it obvious?" another officer said. "It was Lieutenant La Flaga and Ensign Badgiruel."

The human toad smirked. "I don't think so. We were watching the battle. There was a Moebius Zero present and La Flaga is the only Zero pilot left and Badgiruel is a bridge officer not a pilot. So who are the pilots?"

No one said anything. The fat officer began to scan the room, trying to figure out who the pilots were. "Hmm... I wonder," Garcia muttered as he started walking by the table they were sitting at. "The captain of this ship is a woman so perhaps the pilots are women."

The Eurasian commander stopped where he, Kira and the others were sitting. "And perhaps they're disguised as civilians so we won't suspect them of being the pilots," he said before he grabbed Flay's arm and pulled her out of her seat.

"Hey! Let me go!" Flay shouted as she fought back.

Sai shot up out of his seat. "Leave her alone!" he shouted.

Garcia backhanded Sai sending him crashing into the table. Before anyone could react Kira broke free of Murdoch's grasp and shouted, "Let her go! I'm the one you want!"

The officer carelessly tossed Flay into the arms of a guard. "You expect me to believe that a mere _child_ was piloting one of those mobile suits. Who are the real pilots brat?!"

Garcia then punched Kira in the face or would have if he wasn't a Coordinator. Kira sidestepped the blow, grabbed his wrist and threw the fat commander to the ground. Immediately one of the soldiers grabbed Kira, forcibly restraining him while another helped their superior back up.

"See!" a panicking Flay exclaimed. "He is the pilot! He's a Coordinator!"

Chris bit back a mental crush as Garcia's eyes lit up. "Then that changes everything." he said, eying Kira. "Who is the other pilot?"

But Kira didn't say anything, staring back at him in defiance. "Very well then take the two of them to interrogation," Garcia ordered. "I want the name of that other pilot."

Flay's eyes widened in shock, she opened her mouth to say something but before she could Chris stood up. There was no point in hiding it anymore, she'd tell them one way or another. "I'm the other one you want. I'm the other pilot. You can leave her alone now."

An arrogant, disgusting grin spread across the toad's face. "You're a Coordinator as well?"

"Would take my word on it or would prefer to prove it by kicking your ass like Kira just did," Chris spat, eager for a chance to smack him around for a bit.

A guard standing next to him punched him in the side of the head. Chris stumbled from impact of the blow but managed to stay standing. He quickly turned to the soldier slipping into a well practiced stance he kicked the guard the stomach, sending him crashing onto the table behind him. Chris then heard the sound of several guns cocking. _'Yeah...I'm gonna stop while I'm ahead.'_

Chris sighed as he raised his hands in surrender, still had been worth it.

"Now that was too hard," Garcia said as he signaled several of the guards. "Take them to the hanger at once. Bring the girl as well."

Both Kira and Flay shouted in protest as the guards forced them away. Sai got up again to try to stop only to be held back by Tolle and Murdoch. There was nothing that could be done to stop them.

* * *

><p>After hours of circling and watching the Artemis Base the <em>Gamow<em> started to turn away. As it did the ship's hanger opened up and the Blitz launched. A moment later it disappeared from view and from sensors.

"Mirage Colloid it seems fitting for Nicol, a weapon fit for a coward," Dearka commented as they watched from the observation deck.

"Nicol's not a coward," Saul said, defending his teammate friend. "He's going in there alone using an untested system without his phase shift on. If something goes wrong out there he'll be in big trouble."

The blonde pilot chuckled at his words. "You're starting to sound like Athrun, worrying all the time."

Saul shrugged his shoulders. "Could be worse. Could be sounding like Yzak with that stick up his ass."

* * *

><p>Slowly the <em>Gamow<em> withdrew from area, leaving the sensor range of the Artemis Base. A few minutes later the personnel of Artemis, confident that the threat was gone deactivated the barrier. None were aware of the truth danger, the Blitz approaching unseen.

* * *

><p>"Sure the ship may be unregistered but this is inexcusable," Ensign Badgiruel said as she paced back and forth across the room.<p>

Garcia had imprisoned them in a stateroom for VIPs. In that regard their 'accommodations' were pleasant. It resembled an upscale five-star hotel suite with fancy carpeting and paneling on the walls, a fake fireplace and windows, plush expensive-looking furniture. Murrue had to admit under better circumstances it would have been a refreshing change from the plain, small Heliopolis apartment she had been living in for the last few months.

"There isn't much we can do," Lieutenant La Flaga replied, a serious look on his face. "Right now those guys would much prefer that we didn't return to the ship." He paused for a moment, seemingly mulling over something. "But there's something that concerns me more. These soldiers here in Artemis have an unshakable faith that their protected against any enemy assault."

Murrue grimaced, truthfully she had noticed it too and she didn't like it either. "Do you think it's that bad?"

The mobile armor pilot nodded his head. "Yes," he admitted. "If they think they're invincible they'll get lazy and if they get lazy…"

He didn't need to say, they all knew what could happen.

* * *

><p>The long march to the hanger was silent, at least after the toad slapped Flay who had refused to stay quiet, protesting their treatment of her before threatening to break her jaw if she continued talking. Apparently being the daughter of the Vice Foreign Minister of the Atlantic Federation meant about as much to them as being one of the Federation's officers. Chris despite all that he had seen since they had arrived still couldn't believe the acts of those 'soldiers'. They were little more than thugs and bullies in uniform.<p>

They entered the hanger, passing saluting Eurasian soldiers as they reached where the cradles holding the Strike and the Raven stood. Around the feet of both machines were a dozen or so technicians studying various consoles and readings.

"So you want us to remove the locks on OS right?" Kira asked.

"For starters but I imagine that the two of you could do a lot more than just that," Garcia replied. "For example you could analyze the designs of these machines and build another or even a weapon that's effective against these kinds of mobile suits."

"What are you talking about? We're students from Orb, not soldiers, not military technicians or whatever," Chris shot back. "And why would we even do such a thing?"

"Ah... but the two of you are already traitors to your fellow Coordinators are you not?" Garcia smugly commented.

"Traitors..." Kira said, stunned by Garcia's words.

"I have no idea what your reasons were. Nor do I care. But regardless you two did betray your own people," the officer replied.

Chris balled his fists, struggling to fight back his outrage. How…how dare this fat toad accuse him of that when he was betraying the people he was supposed to allies with! "Traitors? That's crap!" he spat in disgust. "I—we haven't betrayed anyone!"

"Then why were the two of you fighting for the Earth Alliance against ZAFT, the nation of your people?"

"My 'people' are aboard the _Archangel_," Chris replied through clenched teeth.

"Very well then," Garcia said turning to one of his men. "Throw the girl out an airlock." Kira's, Chris's and Flay's eyes all widened in horror. Even technicians and many of the soldiers looked stunned and horrified at their commander's orders. But that fat, repulsive bastard just grinned that same arrogant smirk. "Unless of course you wish to remove the locks."

The two teens grimly nodded. They had no other choice. Garcia had everyone on board the _Archangel_ as his hostages. If they didn't he would have had Flay killed before grabbing someone else and demanding the same thing. The two of them said nothing as they followed his orders, entering the cockpits of their machines and powering up their systems.

* * *

><p>Nicol breathed out a sigh of relief as he finally reached Artemis. Over forty minutes of flying by inertia under nothing but the blanket of Mirage Colloid had been tense, nerve-wracking even. If it had failed for even a few seconds during his trip Artemis would have caught and at worst shoot him down before he could activate his phase shift and flee. Even if they didn't manage to down him they would be alerted to the fact that they had a way to move unnoticed by their sensors. They wouldn't drop the shield down for anything at that point.<p>

Fortunately the Mirage Colloid hadn't failed him in the slightest and Artemis remained completely unaware. The plan was proceeding without a hitch. All he had to do now was to start shooting. There were all manner of arrays and emplacements within the asteroid walls, dozens of perfectly good targets. With a steady arm Nicol aim at the closest and fired.

* * *

><p>Suddenly there was a loud noise like an explosion and a tremor shook the base followed by more tremors and noises. Anyone with half a brain could tell what was happening. The base was under attack. Someone had gotten through the Umbrella of Artemis.<p>

Chris looked up from his console, to the armed man guarding him. The soldier was looking over his shoulder, no doubt trying to figure out what was happening. Without a second thought he pushed the man, shoving him out of the edge of the cockpit. Before anyone else could react Chris closed the hatch, moving the Raven away from the catwalk. Across from him Kira was doing the same. From there both of them started for the hatches. If the base was under the _Archangel_ and everyone aboard was in danger as well. There only option was to drive ZAFT off.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Garcia shouted from the hanger floor.

_"We're under attack,"_ Kira snapped, not even sparing a moment to look back. _"What do you think we're doing?"_

But Chris stopped his gaze dropping back to the toad and those with him. Flay was still with them. He had the Raven knee down in front of them and extended one of its hands out. As much as he didn't like her he wasn't about to leave Flay with that man. He didn't trust in the slightest. "Flay hop on."

Before anyone could stop her Flay, desperate to escape the man who had threatened her life climbed onto the hand and he stood the Raven back up. Carefully he brought the Raven's hand to the cockpit door and opened the hatch allowing Flay to get in. "Thank you," she said as she squeezed into the space between the seat and wall.

"Don't mention it," Chris replied, already closing the hatch back up. "Oh and don't touch anything." Ahead of them Kira had already stepping onto one of the launch ports. "How bad do you think it is out there Kira?"

"I don't know but something's attacking," Kira coldly replied as he loaded the Sword Striker onto the Strike.

"Fair enough. Be careful out there." With that he closed the line, glancing over at Flay. "You know you really shouldn't have said that."

"What?"

"What you said in the mess hall. You shouldn't have told them that Kira was a Coordinator."

"But it was the truth and besides they're our allies," Flay weakly answered in her defense, trying to forget about how they had threatened her life.

"Allies? Perhaps Eurasia is an ally. But that commander doesn't give a damn about us. All he cares about is the promotion he'll get for handing over the _Archangel_ and these mobile suits to his superiors," Chris bitterly remarked. "Hell he was about to throw you out an airlock if we didn't do what he wanted. What kind of ally is that?"

Flay didn't say anything as the Raven and the Strike exited the _Archangel_ and into growing chaos of the Artemis Base port.

* * *

><p>The mobile suits of the Creuset team raced into the massive hanger. They split up, searching for the legged ship and firing upon the mobile armors that were vainly trying to defend their base. They were all minor annoyances that were trying to stop them from reaching their objective. Yzak fired off a burst at a mobile armor clipping its engines, sending it crashing into what appeared to be the command deck. A fireball tore through it no doubt taking the base commander with it.<p>

He quickly and easily destroyed three more mobile armors from there. That's what really irritated him. It was too easy. True the Earth Forces had numbers but their mobile armors were vastly inferior to ZAFT's mobile suits.

It wasn't long before he and his teammates spotted the legged ship and its mobile suits. The Blitz was also there battling the Strike and the Raven. "Time to end this," Yzak said he opened fire on the Strike.

Saul and Dearka followed after him, adding their own fire to the fray. The Raven and the Strike dodged their shots and the Raven returned fire with its railguns at the Buster and the Surge while the Strike threw its beam boomerang at him. He effortlessly dodged the incoming weapon and its rebound only to come face to face with the Strike its sword descending on him. But he wasn't some novice pilot he was a member of one of ZAFT's top units. Yzak narrowly managed sidestepped the attack before responding by lashing back with his shield as Nicol fired off his Gleipnir. The Strike was flung backwards but quickly regained its balance. That suited Yzak just fine. He didn't want the Strike to go down _that_ easily. Not after the humiliation of last time.

* * *

><p>"Ship status," Murrue commanded as she and other senior officers stepped onto the bridge.<p>

"All systems are green and good to go ma'am," Chief Petty Officer Neumann answered.

"Have the Eurasian soldiers left the ship?"

"As far as we can tell ma'am."

Murrue nodded her head, pleased at the news. Undoubtedly the suddenness of the attack had scared off the Eurasian soldiers stationed on the ship. There wouldn't be anyone trying to stop their escape. Murrue gritted her teeth as she sat down in her chair watching the six G-Units battle. Anyone save for the ZAFT forces of course. "Prepare the ship for launch. Inform the Strike and the Raven that we'll be departing through rear port gate," she ordered. "Once we're off they're to withdraw to the ship."

* * *

><p>With a roar Yzak lunged at the Strike with his beam saber but the enemy was faster, sidestepping his thrust before hitting him with its rocket anchor. The blow knocked him back but did little to damage the Duel. But before the Strike could mount another attack Nicol was on him, firing off shots to drive them back and to allow him to recover. Nearby the Raven was desperately trying to evade the combined fire of Dearka and Saul, their missed shots tearing through the hanger. It wasn't going to help be helping the Strike anytime soon.<p>

However as they continued to clash the legged shipbegan to rise up from where it had been moored. Barely noticed the ZAFT pilots the warship began to turn around, its engines fully powering up. It took off, heading for the rear port gate as more and more of the port crumbled down around them. Huge explosions started tearing through the hanger, throwing up scorched chucks of metal into the port. The Raven and the Strike started pulling back from them, withdrawing to the legged ship as it headed for the open rear gates of Artemis. "You're not getting away this time!" Yzak shouted, firing at the retreating mobile suits.

Unfortunately at that very moment a massive fireball tore through the hanger, creating a wall of fire that separated them from the fleeing ship. Yzak snarled in frustration as he fired off a few blind shots but it was no use. Once again the legged ship and its mobile suits had escaped them.

* * *

><p>Now don't expect another update anytime soon. At the least I might have something for ChristmasNew Years but nothing soon than that.


	6. Phase 6: Respective Solitudes

Yo everybody! Hope everyone had a good holiday, I know I did.

Anyway I'm back again after far too long. Before anyone asks I've been busy on a side project I'll be releasing some time in 2013. I worked on this chapter the last couple of days as a bit of a diversion from it. I might have another chapter up in a couple of days but no promises.

* * *

><p><span>Phase Six: Respective Solitudes<span>

Archangel Hanger

January 26 C.E. 71

Chris breathed a sigh of relief as he shut down the Raven. Fighting in the enclosed space of the port had been difficult to say the least. Not to mention that the whole base was falling apart all around them. It was a miracle that they had managed to escape at all.

He glanced at Flay. The girl was quite pale and seemed to be in a daze, her white knuckled fingers clenching shoulder of the seat in a death grip. He didn't blame her. He had been pretty much the same after his first battle. He remembered that feeling of scared yet exhilarated after his first battle. But that fear he had felt his first time was gone which left him with a lingering thought, _'Have I gotten that use to battles already?'_

"Are you alright Flay?" he asked, trying to dispel the thought from his head.

Flay blinked a few times, her fingers beginning to loosen. "Huh? Oh sorry. I'll be fine," she said, a slight tremor in voice.

Chris nodded his head, undoing the buckle on the seatbelts. "That's good. Sai would probably try to kill me if something happened to you."

"Is that what a battle is like?" Flay suddenly asked in a quiet, almost cautious tone.

"From what I've experienced yes," the teen admitted unsure of what else he could say.

"How can you just go into battle like that? How can anyone go into battle?" the girl exclaimed.

"I don't know I'm just trying to protect the few important people I have left," he answered with a shrug. "That's I've ever been doing since I first used the Raven."

"Few important people you have left?"

Chris closed his eyes for a moment, bitter memories beginning to surface. "That's something I don't want to talk about. So please respect my privacy."

With that he opened up the cockpit and climbed out. Chris paused and took a moment to study his surroundings. The Strike had parked itself in the cradle ahead of them while below him the mechanic crews were beginning to flood back into the hanger, Lieutenant La Flaga with them. "Hey kids!" the blonde man called out, waving his arm. "That was some impressive fighting back there!"

Chris smiled and returned the wave. "Thanks!" he shouted back.

At that moment Flay stepped out of the cockpit behind him, nervously looking around.

The Lieutenant froze; stopping as well as he could in a zero gravity environment. "Miss Alster?!" he yelled. "What are you doing here?!"

"It's a long story!" Chris replied. "Give us a minute to get down and I'll explain!" He turned to Flay. "Do you need a hand getting down?"

"Ah... Sure," Flay answered after a moment's hesitation.

As a kid who had grown up in space moving in zero gravity was second nature to him but Flay was from Earth originally and far less experienced than him. Chris wrapped an arm around Flay's waist and then pushed off the edge of the cockpit hatch, sending them floating down to the hanger floor. When reached the floor, he let go of Flay. "There you go," he said, letting go of here. "You better go find Sai I imagine he's very worried about you."

"Thank you," Flay replied before turning to leave the hanger.

"So is she your girlfriend?" the lieutenant asked.

"What?!" Chris exclaimed, blushing from embarrassment. "No. Flay isn't my girlfriend. She's arranged to marry Sai."

The older man laughed and patted him on the back. "Well anyway I'm impressed that you two managed to hold your own against ZAFT back there," La Flaga said. "We would have been in a lot of trouble back if you hadn't."

Chris couldn't help but smile at the praise. _'Yeah… I guess we did alright out there.'_

* * *

><p><span>Near Aprilius One<span>

January 28 C.E. 71

Athrun was silent as he followed his commanding officer. He had told Commander Le Creuset the truth about who was piloting the Strike, about Kira. The Commander had wanted to ground him rather than sending him out in that last sortie against the legged ship given his relationship with Kira but he had refused. He had get Kira to see reason. Kira wasn't a soldier and he certainly didn't belong with the Earth Forces he belonged with ZAFT, with his own kind. He just had to convince him of that.

The door to the shuttle passenger compartment opened revealing only two people already inside the cabin, his father, Patrick Zala and a young Red Coat that he had never seen before. Both Athrun and Commander Creuset saluted as they entered the compartment which was returned by the fellow ZAFT officer. "National Defense Chairman Zala we hope you will permit us to accompany you," the masked White Coat announced.

"There's no need for formalities Le Creuset," the elder Zala replied, waving them off.

Athrun glanced at the young man sitting behind his father. He looked around his own age with grey eyes and black hair cropped short, an emotionless expression on his sharp features. It was odd that he was there though. It was clear that his father had commandeered the shuttle for them so why was this pilot here?

"Ah Zane it's good to see you again," Commander Le Creuset greeted the pilot as he took the seat across from the Chairman. "I heard about your team's recent skirmish near the moon, including your commander's death and how you rallied the rest of your team to victory. And I understand you're receiving a commendation, congratulations."

"Thank you sir," the pilot replied with a curt nod.

The commander turned to him. "Athrun, I don't believe you've met my former subordinate yet. Athrun Zala, this is Zane Scirocco," he said. "I personally requested that he join the team once the _Vesalius_ is repaired and the matter of Heliopolis's destruction is cleared up with the Council."

Athrun nodded his head, glancing back at the pilot—at Zane trying to keep his bitterness in check. Though the Commander hadn't said it Zane was replacing Rusty, replacing a good friend who had been killed… He didn't hate Zane; he didn't even know him it was just that it had always been the six of them since they had started in the Academy. It wasn't right that Rusty was getting replaced so quickly like this. Athrun bit his bottom lip. No he couldn't let his grief over Rusty cloud his mind and his relationship with his soon-to-be teammate. "Hello," he politely said as he extended out a hand to the fellow pilot.

"Hello," Zane replied, leaning out from his seat to take his hand.

With that brief greeting done Athrun was waved over by his father. "You never saw me on this shuttle. Am I clear Athrun?" he quietly instructed.

"Yes I understand. It's been awhile Father," he answered before taking his seat behind Commander Creuset.

But his father ignored him, turning his attention to the Commander. "Needless to say I agree with your opinion report. The problem is the fact that they've developed such advanced mobile suits. We'll forget all about the pilots. I've already gone ahead and deleted that from the report."

Athrun stared at his father in surprise. Concealing important information from the Council like that had to be illegal. They as soldier were obligated to report everything that happened during their missions to their superiors and to the Supreme Council.

"Thank you very much sir. I was confident that you would make that decision," Commander Le Creuset replied, further surprising Athrun.

"Just think of the reaction if we told them that those machines were being piloted by Coordinators," his father added. "It would only give the moderate faction something unnecessary to argue about."

The officer glanced back at him, his expression unreadable beneath the mask. "Wouldn't you also find it difficult to have your friend be referred to as someone who has sided to the Earth Forces due to the report Athrun?"

"No but..."

"The Naturals created a mobile suit that can perform that well even with a Natural piloting it," the elder Zala replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. "So that's what we're reporting. Understand?"

There was only one thing Athrun could say. "Yes..."

"We must be more serious about dealing with this legged ship and those two remaining machines," Chairman Zala continued. "Le Creuset I should be able to get you the command of a task force that will be hunting the legged ship. At the moment it will consist of the _Vesalius_ and the _Gamow_ as well as those Earth Forces' mobile suits."

Athrun found himself torn. On the one hand they were going to be hunting Kira, trying to _kill_ Kira. But on the other he still had a chance to save Kira from the Naturals that were exploiting him.

* * *

><p><span>The Archangel<span>

"Reconfirming status, no enemies within a five thousand kilometer radius," Petty Officer Tonomura announced. "It appears they've lost sight of us."

Murrue Ramius let out a sigh of relief. They were out of danger now, at least from ZAFT attack. But they weren't out of the woods, not by a long shot. Still Murrue had to admit it was nice to have a reprieve from ZAFT.

"All that pandemonium at Artemis must have covered our escape," Lieutenant La Flaga commented, his tone upbeat. "So we should be thankful to them if only for that."

Not everyone was as optimistic as him. Ensign Badgiruel cleared her throat. "However…"

"Yes I share your concern," Murrue spoke up, cutting her XO off. "We're fortunate that the Laurasia-class is no longer able to track us but we had so many problems before and not one of them has been solved."

"Low supplies, a skeleton crew, the civilians, take your pick. It's a wonder that we've been able to keep the ship running for as long as we have," La Flaga said.

While their most immediate concern was their lack of supplies the other problems were just as serious. While some civilians, particularly those survivors from Morgenroete that work on the _Archangel _and the G-Units had step up and volunteered to help out with the ship most hadn't. As cruel as it was to say it they were a serious drain on their already limited supplies without any kind of return, not that she wouldn't have taken them in the first place. Damaged as their lifeboat had been they wouldn't have survived long to be picked up by rescue teams from Orb.

However even with those volunteers they were struggling to keep the ship running at optimal levels. At the time of the attack there had only been a skeleton crew going through routine inspections and checks in preparation for the launch and it was beginning to catch up with them. The Engineering and Hanger crews were so small that they had to combine the two under Chief Murdoch to keep both departments running. But they were pulling double shifts to do so. It was only a matter of time before it started to wear them down. Not that the Bridge crew were in any better position. Ideally the _Archangel _was meant to have a staff of twenty-four not counting the Captain and XO, three shifts of eight officers. If they didn't count the volunteers they only had six Bridge officers, herself and Ensign Badgiruel included. So far they had managed to keep a minimal rotation of three officers in the off hours, manning the helm, communications and the CIC but it wasn't an ideal setup.

"We've been lucky so far," Murrue admitted, leaning back in her chair.

"I'll take being lucky any day of the week," La Flaga replied with a grin, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Being lucky won't get us those supplies we desperately need," Badgiruel pointed out.

Murrue couldn't help but agree with the younger officer. While they had been lucky in their skirmishes with ZAFT so far they had been unlucky at just about everything else. The attack on Heliopolis and its subsequent collapse, their detainment at Artemis and its destruction, it was beginning to look a little like the _Archangel _was cursed.

Not that she believed in that kind of nonsense.

* * *

><p><span>PLANT Supreme Council<span>

Aprilius One

"I believe you can understand from the course of events you just saw that our actions were not intended as an attack on Heliopolis itself but the result of collateral damage and that the Earth Forces were at fault for the collapse. That concludes my report. Thank you for your attention," Commander Le Creuset said, saluting the Supreme Council before taking his seat again.

"So Orb was working with the Earth Forces all along," Council Member Orson White commented. "They're the ones who violated the treaty."

"Aren't you being a little premature," Ian Kessel replied. "Orb has the right to design and build their own mobile suits and warships."

"But not to design and build mobile suits with the Earth Forces," Ezalia Joule countered.

"Ah... but Orb didn't design those machines. Morgenroete did," Kessel shot back. "And last time I checked Morgenroete was a company not a country and as such they could do what they please."

"But Morgenroete is a corporation of Orb," Ezalia argued.

"Yes but Morgenroete is an independent company, not the Orb government. We have a treaty with the Orb government, not Morgenroete," Eileen Canaver pointed out.

"This only further illustrates that those living on Earth cannot be trusted," Herman Gould said.

"Trusted? How arrogant is it to believe that we are the only trustworthy ones," Ali Kasim commented.

"However Commander Le Creuset, are these prototype mobile suits wroth all of the sacrifices that have been made by our forces?" Patrick Zala asked, interrupting their argument.

The Commander stood up again. "To explain the new mobile suits and their capabilities to you, I have one of our pilots with me, who has not only piloted one of the new machines and fought against the two machines that have remained with the enemy, Athrun Zala. He will give you the report on these new mobile suits, with your permission of course."

"I will allow Athrun Zala to present his report," Siegal Clyne said.

Athrun saluted and approached the Council, nervousness creeping into his stomach. While he knew many of the Council members due both to his father and to his arranged marriage with Chairman Clyne's daughter this was the first time he was approaching them in an official capacity. Taking a moment he keyed in a command into the display screens, showing the first of the new machines the Aegis.

"First this machine is known as the GAT-X303 'Aegis'. One major characteristic is its ability to transform. Due to its frame structure it is fundamentally different from five of the other machines; this allows the machine to transform into a mobile armor. Upon transformation, it's equipped with the powerful 580-millimeter dual-phase energy cannon called Scylla. Along with the other machines, it comes with an armor system called Phase-Shift Armor, which has yet to be tested in actual battle. At present we are reprogramming the OS to bring out its maximum potential. And based on the specs of the machine it is believed that these mobile suits are superior, both in technology and power to ZAFT's main weapon, the GINN."

The Duel appeared one of its beam sabers drawn.

"GAT-X102 'Duel'. This machine was developed with close-range combat in mind and has a wide range of uses. It is believed to the basis of the development of the other machines. Like the others it has anti-air system 'Igelstellungs'. The machine also has a beam saber and an anti-beam shield."

Next the Buster appeared firing its powerful cannon.

"GAT-X103 'Buster'. This machine was designed with long-range artillery attacks in mind. It is believed that this machine was built to provide fire support from the rear and sniper attacks. It is not equipped with a shield; however it has a 350-millimeter gun launcher that uses attachments to become an ultrahigh-impulse long-range sniper rifle or an anti-armor shotgun."

Then the Blitz appeared. It raised its arm and fired off its missiles.

"GAT-X207 'Blitz'. This one has a special feature called Mirage Colloid where by gas particles are released over the armor's surface turning this machine virtually invisible to enemy eyes. This makes it effective for search-and-destroy missions. However when this system is activated it is unable to use its Phase-Shift Armor System. It's believed that this machine was developed for blitzkrieg warfare. It is also equipped with its own weapons, Trikeros and Gleipnir."

The images on the screens changed to images of the Surge racing into battle.

"GAT-X204 'Surge'. This machine is not only the sister unit to the Blitz but is also the fastest of all the mobile suits from Heliopolis. In fact its maximum speed has been rated higher than any of ZAFT's current mobile suits. The drawback however is that repeated uses of its high-speed capabilities rapidly drain its battery. Its primary weapons are a 55mm beam rifle, a pair of anti-armor swords and the 'Hakenfaust' triple claw weapon."

The screens now displayed the Raven firing off the twin barrels of its railgun.

"Now the two that got away, first the GAT-X305 'Raven'. Like the Aegis this machine is able to transform into a fighter-like mobile armor. Its mobile armor form also appears to be able to double as a flight platform for other machines. Its primary weapon is the dual 52mm hyper velocity railgun with a shield attachment. The main weapons of its mobile armor mode is a pair of 76mm machineguns and the 'Ahura Mazda' beam weapons mounted in the feet of the mobile armor. We suspect this machine was designed primary for atmospheric and space combat.

The screens changed to the final new machine, the Strike launching from the legged ship.

"Finally the GAT-X105 Strike. From what we know it is a machine capable of various types of combat. Its design allows this model to switch between a number of different weapon packs named Launcher, Sword and Aile. From what we can tell the Launcher has a 320-millimeter ultrahigh-impulse cannon. Our assumption is that it also has a 120-millimeter anti-ship Vulcan cannon as well as a 350-millimeter gun launcher. The Sword module equips it with a 15-meter long anti-ship blade and a beam boomerang. In addition the machine carries two combat knives in its hip section. It is assumed that this machine has a high combat potential."

"That is all," Athrun finished before saluting again and returning to his seat.

"They've actually manufactured these abominations!" Jeremy Maxwell spat, the disgust evident in his voice. "Those disgusting Naturals."

"But they're only in the trail stages. You can hardly consider seven mobile suits a threat," Canaver replied.

"But if they've come this far, the next step would be to mass-produce," Ezalia said.

Ian Kessel started to laugh, causing everyone to stare at him. "I'm sorry. But this is just so ridiculous," he said. "You call those mobile suits abominations but the Earth Forces are simply doing what must be done in war. If your enemy builds a superior weapon then you must build a better weapon to counter it. Frankly I'm surprised that it took them this long to create their own mobile suits."

"He has a point," Kasim admitted. "Did anyone here actually believe that our mobile suits would remain superior forever? That the Earth Forces wouldn't try to develop their own?"

"How can you say that?" Gould angrily demanded. "This is a clear indication of the Naturals intentions. They crave war, a desire to violence and havoc."

Kessel laughed again. "They're simply doing what must be done in war, building bigger and better weapons. Just as we are doing. You're just upset that they beat us to the punch this time."

His comment sparked a massive shouting contest among many of the Council members, trying to prove the strength of their argument while Chairman Clyne vainly tried to reestablish order among the Council. Finally after a few minutes Athrun's father rose up from his feet, silencing the rest of the Council. "There is no one who prefers to fight. Who among us actually wants to head out to a battlefield? We want to live peacefully, gracefully and happily. That has always been our only wish," he said, his voice becoming louder. "But who so ruthlessly shattered that wish? Who took our freedom away for their own selfish ambitions? Who pushes us aside to better themselves? Who exploits the Coordinators?"

Athrun frowned a little. Before the War started he hadn't ever really paid much attention to the news and politics but even he had known that the demands of the Earth Forces on the PLANTs had grown unreasonable. The PLANTs were independent from Earth. The Naturals didn't have the right to decide how they lived.

"Who will never let us forget the Bloody Valentine Tragedy? The nightmarish destruction of Junius Seven! Two hundred forty-three thousand seven hundred and twenty-one people… It has been one year since that abominable incident claimed so many of fellow citizens yet we've pondered endless to try to end this war quickly. Our demands have been minor. However the Naturals have put our efforts to waste time and time again!"

The young mobile suit pilot couldn't help but wince at the mention of the Bloody Valentine, at the death of his mother. But it was inappropriate for him to say anything about that here in the Council Chambers.

"We fight because it's the only way to protect ourselves. If we must fight to protect ourselves then we have no choice but to fight!" Patrick Zala said, bringing his speech to an end.

Almost the entire Council was quiet. None could really argue with him. Save one.

"As always you have a flare for the dramatic Zala. But using the victims of Junius Seven as rallying cry for war is despicable and an insult to their memory," Councilor Kessel said with a mock applause.

"How dare you say," Zala snapped, barely stopping himself from yelling. "My wife was killed at Junius Seven."

"Which is why someone like you should not be a member of this Council during this war," Kessel replied. "Leaders, both political and military, should never have a personal reason for fighting a war. They must lead with a clear, rational mind. Free of anger and a desire for revenge against the opposing force. They must be willing to hear any call for peace and even if there is only a slight chance they must be willing to take it. I do not believe that you are able to Zala."

Athrun was taken back by Kessel's words. He knew his father and the Representative of the November Colonies were strongly opposed to each other but didn't expect they would attack each other like this in the Council itself.

"My fellow Council members as you know I come from a long line of soldiers dating back before the Reconstruction War. I served in ZAFT's military before becoming a member of this Council. My wife and children are all fighting this war. I know how wars must be fought. We must fight this war with calm and rational minds. Not minds consumed by hatred and vengeance. It must be fought for peace and peaceful coexistence with the Naturals and the Earth. Not for retribution. Seeking retribution and vengeance will only lead to more death, more pain and suffering, more hatred."

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. I urge you, all of you, don't let this war become personal. Don't let this war become about vengeance for this lost at Junius Seven. Don't let this war become consumed by hatred. Nothing go will come of it. We must be better than those who destroyed Junius Seven. This war cannot end the way it started. If it does, then nothing changes and the next war will just be a continuation of this one. It is our responsibility to ensure that our children, their children and all the children yet to be do not suffer from our mistakes."

* * *

><p><span>Debris Belt<span>

February 2 C.E. 71

Chris sighed as the Raven flew through the all debris and garbage that made up the Debris Belt. The plan as conceived by the Lieutenant was to fly through the Debris Belt on their way to the Moon, scouring the area for any supplies they could use. He and Kira along with half a dozen Mistrals had been sent out on the search. Unfortunately after over an hour of looking they hadn't found much of anything beyond the endless floating pile of trash.

_"Hey Chris have you found anything yet?"_ Liz asked over the comm.

"Nah. There's nothing really here but trash, trash and more trash," he replied as he maneuvered under some debris. "This is starting to look like a wild goose chase though at least they've managed to find a good use for that big mouth of yours."

"_Hey!"_

Chris laughed as he maneuvered around some larger debris, keeping an eye out for anything useful. "It's true and you know…"

Suddenly something caught his attention, something massive that he hadn't fully seen until he reached this angle. A large mass of metal covered in froze fields and water, dotted with houses and buildings. The horrible truth of what it was dawned on him within a fraction of a second.

_'No...'_

_"Chris? What is it? Chris? Brother, are you there? What do you see?"_ he faintly heard his sister nervously asked.

But his thoughts were entirely on what was in front of him. He tried to speak but nothing escaped his lips.

_"What do you see? Chris? Are you there? Please respond,"_ Liz frantically pleaded over the comm.

"Home..." Chris replied, his voice quiet and faint as tears started to form in his eyes. "Liz... It's home..."

Floating before him was Junius Seven, former agricultural PLANT, site of the Bloody Valentine and the place where he had been born and raised.

* * *

><p>I was going to have a Kira scene in this chapter but I just couldn't get it fit in the chapter so I ultimately scraped it.<p>

Anyway until next time! And have a Happy New Year!


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